The online editions of several Irish and international titles published full transcripts.

Mr Kenny's speech also sparked a strong reaction from the public -- as reflected in tweets and blogs on the internet -- as well as a high volume of readers' comments.

In a week where Mr Kenny's ratings reached their highest level since he took over as leader of Fine Gael in 2002, it is clear from the coverage of his speech that his popularity is not confined to Ireland.

In addressing such a sensitive topic in such a decisive manner, the Taoiseach ensured Ireland made global headlines for the right reasons.

Stephen O'Leary is a media analyst at O'Leary Analytics, an online media monitoring and analysis company