The Central Bank should urge RaboDirect to consider extending its notice period beyond May because of the unprecedented effects its decision to shut a €3bn savings operation will have on its 90,000 Irish customers, consumer and financial experts have warned.

A decade after completion, and having weathered the economic crash, Cork’s iconic Elysian tower and its 211 flanking apartments are now fully occupied.

A decade after completion, and having weathered the economic crash, Cork's iconic Elysian tower and its 211 flanking apartments are now fully occupied.

RABO DIRECT PRO12

Glasgow coach Gregor Townsend believes his team are coming to Thomond Park at the right time and in the right frame of mind.

While Irish rugby is entitled to bask in the afterglow of our Six Nations success, I suspect each of the respective unions are more than pleased with developments off the field over the course of the championship.

Munster’s current rotation policy in selection may be paying dividends for the RaboDirect Pro12 leaders but head coach Rob Penney is set to recall as many front line players as he can for Friday’s trip to inter-provincial rivals Ulster.

Farmer groups have raised concerns about the closure of ACC’s retail bank with the loss of 180 jobs.

RABO DIRECT PRO12

Few rugby players are more vociferous in their support of the RaboDirect PRO12 than Leinster’s Eoin Reddan.

Middle ground food producers are taking a hit as shopping trends have polarised towards low cost and high value goods, a Rabobank retail report says.

Leinster out-half Jonny Sexton admitted last night’s Amlin Challenge Cup victory felt strange for him.

Emerging markets such as China, South Africa, Nigeria and Russia are playing a growing role in Irish food and drink exports growth, according to Bord Bia research.

Treviso 15 Ulster 16

It comes as no surprise that a marketing executive should have a positive outlook about the future but a year into its sponsorship of Celtic League rugby, RaboDirect’s Maeve Moriarty has proof her company’s association is already reaping dividends.

Food supply-chain jobs will be lost due to supermarket chains acting to bypass the wholesale sector, Retail Excellence Ireland chief executive David Fitzsimons has warned.

THE news that Newbridge Credit Union has been taken under care by the Central Bank is a source of great concern to depositors.

THE National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) has appointed receivers to 16 assets linked to debts of up to €1.5 billion held by high-profile property developer Paddy Kelly — once one of the country’s wealthiest property tycoons.

THREE banks have taken a substantial stake in the Ballsbridge hotels, which were bought by property developer Sean Dunne for a record €375 million in 2005. The three hotels are in Dublin 4.

PRE-TAX profit at ACCBank fell 36% to €43 million last year.

Michael Rasmussen’s Rabobank team have confirmed they have withdrawn the Tour de France leader from this year’s race and sacked him “on the spot” for apparently “lying about his whereabouts”.

ACCBank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dutch-owned Rabobank, has announced pre-tax profits of €67.3 million for last year against €32.4m in 2005.

RaboDirect, Europe’s largest online savings and investment bank, has entered the personal lending market with the launch of the RaboDirect Credit Account.