QUOTES OF THE WEEK

“Life is precious and life is brittle, life is very fragile, we saw that on Sunday night. Everybody hurts.” Fr Sean O Gallchoir, speaking at the funeral of Daniel Scott who, along with John Harley, Shaun Harkin and Micheal Roarty, died in a crash in Co Donegal last Sunday.

“The signs are already there that Eurosceptic populists could return in larger numbers, unless we come together and face them down.” Tanaiste Simon Coveney addresses the Institute of International and European Affairs.

“We know from Tuesday’s debate that the House of Commons is against many things. It is against a no-deal Brexit, it is against a backstop. But we still don’t know what exactly the House of Commons is for.” European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker.

“Prime Minister Theresa May and her government, in their attempts to abandon the backstop, have demonstrated an enormous act of bad faith. Abandoning the backstop would put at real risk the interests, rights and entitlements of the citizens, households, businesses and the Good Friday Agreement endorsed overwhelmingly in 1998.” Extract from a statement by the main pro-Remain parties in Northern Ireland.

“I wanted to be president of the United States. I really did. The older I get, the less preposterous the idea seems.” Actor Alec Baldwin.

“God wanted Donald Trump to become president.” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders.

“I don’t wish to paint scientists as saints — they, too, have their feuds and their quarrels and their arguments. But what is happening in the Antarctic is a very admirable example of how intelligent people can get together and sort out problems. Politicians don’t co-operate in that way. They don’t have logical discussions.” TV naturalist David Attenborough.

“I think secretly, women — although they want to be in the ascendancy — are quite attracted by the idea of a dominant male. They obviously like a very tough man.” Novelist Jilly Cooper.

“The easiest kind of relationship for me is with 10,000 people. The hardest is with one.” Singer Joan Baez.

“We rode like the wind, to infinity and beyond.” Actor Tom Hanks after recording his last line as Woody in Toy Story 4.

“It is an attempt to subvert the child’s bodily autonomy, to take away their right to their own space.” Comedian Russell Brand says that tickling children should be outlawed.

“I see everyone on their phones and I wonder, if a herd of lions appeared across the street, I would be the only one to notice.” Writer Judith Kerr.