Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

Then taoiseach Brian Cowen set up a “secret” group to examine a possible bank guarantee months before it happened — and as bankers and billionaires were actively lobbying for the move.

Networking is key to business, but the genders do it differently. Men act too soon, grasping at deals. The fairer sex spend too long being friendly, says Claire Droney

Irish Life & Permanent has appointed former UK post Office MD Alan Cook as chairman of the group with immediate effect.

IRISH Life & Permanent (IL&P) cut its chief executive’s pay last year — in line with Government guidelines for banking bosses’ pay — according to its latest annual report.

Breffni Byrne and Danuta Gray are to stand down from the Board of Irish Life & Permanent, the company said today.

GILLIAN Bowler is to step down as chairwoman and a director of Irish Life & Permanent in the new year after a successor is appointed. She is the last of the bank chairmen to resign in the wake of the 2008 banking crisis.

Gillian Bowler has today announced her intention to retire as chairman and a director of Irish Life & Permanent Group Holdings plc, following the appointed of a successor in the New Year.

IRISH Life & Permanent (IL&P) managed to cut its first half losses by over €40 million — to €10m — with management saying the group is on course for sustained recovery.

Irish Life & Permanent has appointed Alexandra (Sandy) Kinney as a non-executive Director, it was announced today.

Budget Travel founder and Irish Life & Permanent Chairman Gillian Bowler has launched a new online travel company which begins trading today.

IRISH Life & Permanent has definite plans to develop the banking arm of its business, but will wait until the restructuring of the other banks have been put in place before any moves are made.

The Chairperson of Irish Life and Permanent Gillian Bowler has said it is the most strongly positioned financial institution in the country.

THE chairman of Irish Life & Permanent, Gillian Bowler, has announced a number of board resignation and other key changes within the board structure.

Irish Life & Permanent chairman Gillian Bowler has today the establishment of a new Committee to deal with Risk & Compliance issues.

Irish Life & Permanent Group Holdings today announces the appointment of Bernard Collins as a non-executive director of the Group.

IRISH Life & Permanent has started talks with the Government on a third banking force, it said in a statement yesterday.

LEAVING Cert student Gillian Griffin paid a €100 deposit for her summer holiday at 2pm at Budget Travel yesterday.

More than 170 jobs were lost tonight as the country’s largest tour operator Budget Travel went bust.

Dublin: The chairman of Irish Life & Permanent, Gillian Bowler, has announced that Pat Ryan will be appointed to the board as a non-executive director effective from the next board meeting on December 15.

More men than women have lost their jobs during the downturn, particularly in the construction sector – and please let no one pretend that working on the sites in all weathers is somehow easier than cleaning the Dáil, especially when men are more likely to lose their lives at work and have lower life expectancy

IRISH Life and Permanent has appointed Corkman, Kevin Murphy as its chief executive – an employee of the bank for the last 37 years.

A veteran Irish Life & Permanent employee was today appointed the new group chief executive.

BANK OF Ireland chairman Richard Burrows will quit as governor of the bank in advance of its AGM in July.

NO eggs were thrown at the annual general meeting of Irish Life & Permanent in Dublin yesterday, but sadly the bank’s shareholders didn’t get to bring home the bacon either.

SHAREHOLDERS of Irish Life & Permanent (IL&P) have been told the next two years will see the group’s structure “dramatically changed”, after which the business will be “poised for years of growth.”

Irish Life & Permanent (IL&P) is revamping its corporate governance structure following the multi-billion euro loans controversy with Anglo Irish Bank.

DIRECTORS at Irish Life & Permanent had their bonuses cut and fees slashed 15% last year.

“I’M a fighter, not a quitter,” was the declaration from Irish Life & Permanent (IL&P) chairperson Gillian Bowler yesterday — when once again confronted with questions about her future in light of the group’s controversial €7 billion deposit with Anglo Irish Bank, which has already led to three IL&P directors resigning.

Irish Life & Permanent plc has announced a fall of 42% in its operating profits for 2008.

ANGLO Irish Bank’s annual report confirms the fact that it had well over €7 billion on deposit from an Irish Life & Permanent (IL&P) subsidiary at the 30 September, 2008, its financial year end.

THE letter from Unite, the union that represents 2,500 Irish Life & Permanent workers hits the nail on the head.

Union leaders at finance house Irish Life & Permanent tonight warned management to pay agreed wage increases or face the threat of industrial action.

Rank-and-file staff at finance house Irish Life & Permanent have no confidence in senior management, union leaders warned today.

IRISH Life and Permanent chief executive Denis Casey has become the third bank chief in eight weeks to announce his intention to step down.

FINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan issued a short statement last night welcoming Denis Casey’s resignation after effectively forcing the Irish Life & Permanent chief executive to step down.

Finance house Irish Life & Permanent tonight bowed to pressure from the Government, accepting the chief executive's resignation.

Irish Life & Permanent chief executive Denis Casey has today resigned from the Group.

The chief executive, directors and senior managers at Irish Life and Permanent will not be paid bonuses for last year.

PRESIDENT Mary McAleese is donating a number of ball gowns to a charity auction. This alerted me to the prospect of life after her presidency when it ends in 2011.

IT looks increasingly likely that a resolution of the banking crisis will drag on into the new year.

AS THE battle to invest in the underfunded Irish banks intensifies, investment institutions fronted by IAIM (Irish Association of Investment managers) have appointed Deutsche Bank as financial advisor.

Nell McCafferty, journalist and writer, has said of today's Budget: “If you leave aside the elderly, the women and the children, no-one else feels any pain. That makes Brian Lenihan a bully.

The chairman of Irish Life & Permanent, Gillian Bowler, has announced the appointment of Liam O’Reilly as a non-executive director.

FORMER group chief executive of Waterford Wedgwood, Redmond O’Donoghue, has been appointed chairperson of Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, by Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen.