Up to 10,000 visitors are expected from home and abroad for a six-day Pan Celtic International Festival taking place as part of The Gathering over the Easter holidays.

EDUCATION Minister Ruairi Quinn rejected calls by second-level teachers for the lifting of a moratorium on the filling of promotional posts.

A UNION representing special needs assistants (SNA) has questioned Tánaiste Mary Coughlan’s assertion that more than 1,300 posts have been created in schools for children with disabilities.

The London market rose more than 1% today to hit a 22-month high as investors embarked on the Easter holidays buoyed by recovery hopes.

British Airways cabin crew have ruled out taking strike action over Easter in their long-running row over jobs and working conditions, it was announced today.

C&C shares rose almost 8% yesterday after the company said & Irish cider sales were helped by “a successful few months for Irish rugby,” which included the Irish team winning its first Grand Slam in 61 years last March.

IRISH Continental Group’s second largest shareholders, the Cork-based Doyle Group and Philip Lynch’s One51, have blocked a motion at the company’s annual general meeting that could have seen their stake diluted.

Readymix has issued its first interim management statement today, revealing a drop in demand for its products.

Heavy snowfall is hindering road traffic as millions of Spaniards prepare to end their Easter Holidays.

PRINCIPALS want Easter holidays extended by a week for students to take oral and practical exams but they remain opposed to Leaving Cert exams on a Saturday in May, a conference heard yesterday.

PRICES for new season and older stock have eased at the factories again this week, as demand weakened in the aftermath of the Easter holidays.

With the Easter holidays looming, some of the London market’s smaller companies will take their turn in the spotlight this week.