COMMENT: Is saying sorry ever enough?

We've all done it, I'm sure: One child has upset another and you make one apologise and then tell them to play nicely. Most of the time it works. Well, it works for children.

In the adult world, though, ate things different? Can saying sorry ever be enough when you've upset or offended someone else?

In order to calm the furore/Twitter spat that his ill-judged/misplaced/ignorant comments about Liverpool F.C. and the Hillsborough disaster, "comedian" Alan Davies has issued and apology for any upset he caused. Additionally, he's made a £1,000 donation to one of the Hillsborough charities.

Now, there are some who will say that he's accepted he made a mistake and has apologised, let's move on.

But others will point out that he still said what he said, and only a couple of days ago, and it's too easy to just say sorry. Some will say that saying sorry is a meaningless gesture, and even the £1,000 donation is nothing for a man who, in a couple of week's time, will earn several times that for a one night show at the Liverpool Empire.

It's hard to see where the line can by drawn to appease all sides. Clearly, Hitler couldn't just have said sorry for the Holicaust and Second World War, but if all that's been done is to upset people's emotions surely a sincere apology should be accepted?

Maybe the important thing is that the apology actually seems genuine and believable, and, maybe in Mr. Davies case, there are many who don't accept that he is genuinely remorseful.