ASKING for external aid is not a disaster for countries such as Ireland, Bank of America Merrill Lynch senior economist, Silvia Ardagna, said at the bank’s Global Year Ahead event in London yesterday.

The decline in retail sales eased to 5%in the second quarter of the year compared with the same time last year, according to Retail Excellence Ireland (REI) which represents 8,500 stores nationwide.

APPLE Computers has broken the 2,000 jobs mark for the first time at its facility in Hollyhill, Cork, where it plans to recruit up to 300 personnel within the next 12 months.