EVERY WEEK HERE at TheJournal.ie, we take a look back at all the comments left on the site during the week and pick out the ones that most grabbed our attention.

It’s our way of highlighting the strongest, funniest and most thought-provoking things that you lot have said over the past few days.

This week, Ruairi Quinn versus the teachers’ unions got a lot of people exercised – as did the hundred year anniversary of the Titanic sinking, the upcoming distressed property auction, North Korea’s failed rocket launch, a grave for greyhounds in Limerick, politicians bickering… and the statue of Che Guevera in Galway.

In no particular order, here are the standout comments from the week…

Tuesday’s story about the discovery of a grave containing the remains of at least seven racing greyhounds in Limerick angered a lot of readers. Dhakina’s Sword commented on how dogs are seen in Ireland:

In Italy, they are loved for their elegance and are kept as pets. Unfortunately, here we seem to have only one view of their usefulness, which is racing them to make money. That’s fair enough, in and of itself, but the callous disregard for them once they are no longer ” useful ” is shameful.

The Deptford Croppy couldn’t resist a pun on the story about the Naval Service detaining a British fishing vessel off the Cork coast. Warning: it’s a bit fishy:

Typical shellfish behaviour on the part of the Brits, trying to mussel in on our fish stocks….doubtless claiming to be in the wrong plaice at the wrong time….I could do this all day long…

So it turns out that a worrying amount of people didn’t know the Titanic was a true story and thought it was just a film. Oh dear. Declan Flynn pondered the legal implications for Cobh:

Oh God, in a few years James Cameron will be able to sue Cobh for copyright theft 

The Central Bank has warned the public to look out for dodgy investment firms looking for their money - leading a lot of commenters to question the strength of financial regulation in Ireland. Rommel Burke drew this comparison:

Authorisation by the central bank is a bit like going to confession. Looks good but you’re fooling no one. 

With the teacher conferences taking place this week there was a lot of talk about the State funding fee-paying schools. The debate was fairly divisive. Here, on Friday's poll on the issue, Stephen Devine offered this defence:

A child who attends a non-fee school costs the State about €8,000 a year. One who attends a fee paying school only costs €4,500. Therefore there is a saving of €3,500 to the state for every child who attends private school.On a purely financial basis the State’s support of fee-paying schools is an excellent example of public-private partnership

If funding was to be cut, fees would increase exponentially. Parents currently sacrifice things to be able to send their children to these schools, they are not for the majority the super wealthy. Therefore when fees increase, these children will move into public schools which will increase costs on the state aswell as the strain on the already burdened public education system.

Parents who send their child to private school are taxpayers. They are entitled to free postprimary education for their children. That they pay tax and then spend more of their income on their child’s education is their right.

And on the same subject, Seán O Ciarain had this to say:

Brian, I’d say the discrimination could work both ways. If the dept has to help fund a private school at the expense of a disadvantaged school isn’t that unfair on the child who, though no fault of the child, cannot afford to go to a private school?

I’ve been a pupil in school where we had to wear our jackets in school when the oil ran out and that had a load of leaks. I’ve taught in a school where the woodwork room had only 6 planes and 8 coping saws when they needed 4 times the amount they had. That school needs more SNA’s and I’m sure they need more things that I’m not aware of.

Now you want to tell me the kids in private schools are being discriminated against?? Please. These schools need more funding, and currently were pumping money into schools that have the best of everything and are already fee paying.

AIB's €1.5 billion payout to bondholders on Wednesday sparked a lot of anger among commenters. Stephen Long had decided on this gesture:

Bye bye AIB account. I was banking with you for 16 years solid. Every month my wages went in for them 16 years. Not any more it isnt

A regular study came out this week which found that consumers are slightly more optimistic this month than they have been for a while. Joe McDermott was sceptical:

I dont think so. I work on the wholesale side suppling retail. 2012 has been the worst year yet. One customer a week going into liquidation now. I dont know were they get these figures from. I never seen anything like this before.

The Vatican has said it is investigating Tony Flannery, an Irish priest, over his liberal views. On Thursday we ran an opinion piece by Fr Jimmy McPhillips who said that the Church needs to reconsider its attitude to dissent. Grainne commented on how she disagreed with the Church - but still supported him:

Fr. Jimmy,

I grew up in Carrick and you were and are a role model for how much good priests can do in a community. I feel that I can’t adhere to the Catholic religion anymore as their opinion on homosexuality, contraception etc is totally at odds to what I believe. However, although terrible terrible things have happened in Ireland and abroad in the Catholic Church’s name, I am glad that we still have priests like yourself who are brave enough to stand up for what they believe is right, and who are still relevant to the communities that they work in. Thank you.

Friday's story about how Enda Kenny has spent nothing on make-up since becoming Taoiseach - in contrast with Bertie Ahern, who spent an average of €441 a week - brought this response from Sarah Kelly on Bertie:

What’s his makeup made of? GOLD? I wear makeup every day, i don’t buy cheap stuff, and i reckon i spend about 40 ish a month, which is much more than my girlfriends. Perhaps his make up artist was included in this price? In that case, where is she?For that price, she should have been able to made him look like Brad Pitt.

Declan332 got a lot of recommends from other readers for this comment on a piece about how it's every person for themselves when a ship is sinking. What do you think? Agree? Disagree?

like reading these articles but why does someone always have to make ironical comments about the government, bondholders or household charge? Boring and not funny.

In these days of fast-moving warfare, every army needs an up-to-the-minute system of communication - so here's this rather excellent old video from the Irish Defence Forces on the importance of Morse Code. Taidi McNally offered this insight:

….—….-.-.-……..—……-…..-. …—?

(Our Morse Code skills aren't what they used to be, but we think this says 'Foxtrot?'. Anyone got a better translation?)

Spot a comment which you think should make the list next week? Mail it to christine@thejournal.ie