The week's top stories in quotes.
TODAY, THANKS to the courage of the children who were abused and grew into an adulthood from which they took a stand against abuse, the veils of silence, authority, deference, pretence, power, powerlessness and impunity are pulled aside and we see what so many tried to ensure we would never see.
– President McAleese to 300 victims of institutional abuse for whom she hosted a reception at Áras an Uachtaráin
I don’t think [Schalk Burger] should have received a card at all.
– South Africa head rugby coach Pieter de Villiers claiming Burger had not gouged Luke Fitzgerald’s eyes, as seen on TV
If we want to eye-gouge any lions we go down to the veldt, like we normally do, and eye-gouge them and see if they can run.
– de Villiers sticking to his line despite Burger’s eight-week ban for gouging
I find it absolutely disgraceful that a coach of a national team can make comments as [de Villiers] did about gouging being part of the game...To hear a national coach saying in any shape or form gouging is acceptable is despicable.
– Brian O’Driscoll
Unemployment will continue to rise, unfortunately, before things get better.
– Brian Cowen reacting to the number out of work rising to 413,500