The Week that was

Monday

■ IRISH households have never been better off and now have a combined €4bn more in savings than they owe in debts. Ibec researchers also believe disposable income is now likely to have surpassed boom-time levels. But while we may have more money in our pockets, we are also enduring “terrible commutes”, which are disrupting family life, according to chair of An Bord Pleanála Dr Mary Kelly (pictured).

Tuesday

■ A STRAIN of flu that is not covered by the only seasonal vaccine available free to at-risk patients is spreading and threatening to heap more misery on the country’s A&E departments. Although ‘Aussie flu’ AH3N2 continues to be a major risk, it has been overtaken by a separate B strain of the virus which is not adequately covered by the current vaccine on offer.

Wednesday

■ SINN Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald’s credibility is in tatters after she launched a bizarre attack on RTÉ and staunchly defended her party’s approach to disgraced MP Barry McElduff. The leaderin-waiting (pictured) sparked fury as she broke her silence on Mr McElduff’s shocking social media post about the Kingsmill massacre, describing the decision to suspend him on full pay as a “proportionate response”.

Thursday

■ SOCIAL media firms face an avalanche of fresh damages claims after a 14-year-old girl took legal action over a naked photo posted on a Facebook “shame” page. Experts said that the Irish case – the first of its kind in the world – would be a “landmark” in bringing tech giants into the legal spotlight in terms of responsibility for inappropriate content.

Friday

■ FLU levels trebled in a week as the country returned to work and school – leaving 20,000 infected patients swamping GP surgeries, and hundreds more admitted to overcrowded hospitals.