What the papers say

Journalist Keith Baker takes a look at what is making the headlines in Monday's morning newspapers.

The Mail is one of several papers to draw attention to the education secretary's estimate on Sunday about the kind of debts students will have if the plan for university top-up fees goes ahead.

In fact, it uses the figure as its main headline - £21,000.

Whoever you are, it says, that's a lot of money. And the paper reckons many students will be in their 40s or 50s before they finish paying it off.

The Express says it is difficult to imagine a bigger disincentive than this. It predicts that young people from poor backgrounds will decide not to go to university while the wealthy middle class will continue as they've always done.

The paper says the government should hang its collective head in shame.

Conference

In Northern Ireland, several of the papers look at the various political talks due to take place this week.

The News Letter joins in the speculation over whether the Unionists will take part in Monday's discussions at Stormont.

It notes that David Trimble will not be there because he's attending a conference in Barcelona on conflict resolution.

The Dublin papers concentrate on Bertie Ahern's role this week.

He is meeting Tony Blair on Thursday. The Irish Independent says he has cleared his diary so that he can have back-to-back meetings with the various pro-Agreement parties.

The Irish Times says there are hopes that the IRA will shortly do something that could propel the current deadlock towards resolution.

Road deaths

The paper says there are suggestions that they're considering a more substantial move on weapons than ever before, as well as a statement on their long-term intentions.

But whether that actually means standing down, the paper isn't so sure.

The Irish News front page concentrates on the latest tragedy on our roads.

It notes that 14-year-old Aiden McIlhatton, one of two teenagers killed in an accident at Cargan in County Antrim, died at the same spot where his sister was killed 14 years ago.

The News Letter is concerned that 11 people have already been killed on the roads this year.

It believes the accident rate could be lowered dramatically if we were all to step back and think about how we drive and how we behave as pedestrians.

Several of the papers carry pictures of the battered face of 93-year-old Paddy Austin who was beaten by burglars when they broke into his home in North Belfast at the weekend.

The Irish News describes his injuries as "horrific".

The News Letter gives its main headlines to the murder of Richard Hamill in Bangor and the hunt for the man the police want to interview.

The paper notes that at this stage detectives are not linking the shooting to the drugs trade or paramilitary activity.