THE rate of borrowing increased to 30.3% in June, as €5.8 billion was loaned to consumers by banks and building societies, according to the Central Bank.

THE Cabinet had its final meeting of the political year at Avondale yesterday before its summer break.

Consumer protection should undergo a radical change with the introduction next year of the new National Consumer Agency (NCA), which is due to have significant powers in line with a bill just published by Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin.

The Israeli bombing that killed at least 60 civilians, including 37 children, in the southern Lebanese village of Qana has provoked international revulsion.

While short-term economic indicators look promising for the remainder of this year and next year, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has warned that the latest figures published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) indicate that declining productivity and an over-dependence on the construction industry could threaten further economic growth from 2008.

The proposals made by the independent mediator Peter Cassells, former secretary general of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, to resolve the dispute over the Corrib gas pipeline have been generally welcomed.

Following the publication of guidelines for prosecutors this week, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) said that he is carrying out a review of what information his office could release in order to help the public understand some of his more controversial decisions.

In its new report, Building for Inclusion, Focus Ireland indicates that targets in providing social and affordable housing are not being met for a variety of reasons.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern adopted a firm stance in relation to the Israeli attack on the United Nations observer post in which four UN troops were killed this week.

The Irish Haemophilia Society has expressed deep disappointment that the Government has decided not to take legal action in order to recoup the money for the Irish taxpayer from the three American firms that supplied the infected blood products from which 91 Irish people died, and a total of 106 people were infected with HIV and 221 with hepatitis C.