IRELAND moved closer to accepting an EU-IMF bail out last night as a team from the IMF, the ECB and the European Commission arrives in Dublin later this week to assess the condition of the Irish banks.

A NEW tax regime will be among the issues EU Economics Commissioner Olli Rehn and Finance Minister Brian Lenihan will discuss when they meet this evening in Dublin.

“BUNGA bunga” was the most popular phrase being used at the EU leaders’ summit last week.

WE have more trust in gambling, hairdressers and the lottery than we do in bankers, pension advisors or estate agents.

LEGAL experts are examining the Lisbon Treaty to see if it is possible to make the changes Germany wants without holding a referendum.

BUSINESSES should have their bills paid by national authorities and other businesses within 30 days under new rules agreed by the European Parliament.

A PLAN to ensure taxpayers would never again have to bail out banks has been put forward by the European Commission.

NEW mothers would be entitled to 20 weeks’ maternity leave on full pay and fathers would have two weeks’ paid leave under proposals passed by the European Parliament.

IRELAND and other eurozone countries will be fined in future for breaking budget rules, but the country is also facing a possible referendum as France and Germany say they want even stiffer penalties.

NEW EU rules that will closely guide eurozone governments’ management of their economies were agreed by finance ministers in Luxembourg last night.