"It is important to emphasise that this proposal in no way reflects on the Waterford team's performance and commitment. – British telecoms firm TalkTalk announcing the closure of its Waterford call centre within 30 days, with a loss of 575 jobs.
"It's shocking; I'm disappointed. The way they drive you in there is, 'Work harder for the company; do this for the company, do that for the company'. And then they completely pull the rug from under you. Not even a phone call." – A lan Butler, a TalkTalk worker with four years' service.
"They're being greedy, they're being selfish, they are being mean. We've worked like dogs for them for the last six years. AOL was lovely to work for. The minute TalkTalk took over everything changed. We were like robots, working for them." – TalkTalk worker Lisa Weldon.
"Baha Mousa was subject to violent and cowardly abuse and assaults by British servicemen whose job it was to guard him and treat him humanely. And this was the primary cause of his death." – British defence secretary Liam Fox on the 2003 death of an Iraqi hotel worker in British army custody.
"The people of this country work hard to meet their responsibilities. The question tonight is whether we'll meet ours." – US president Barack Obama urging Congress to pass a $447 billion (€327 billion) jobs package.