The European Commission has cited a number of “possible national solutions” to the tracker problem crippling the Irish banking system in its latest report on the Irish economy — ruling out official support from either the ESM or the ECB.

ECB president Mario Draghi has said the bank is considering buying asset-backed securities among possible options to support lending to SMEs.

The best cattle he had ever seen at any American or European dairy show, was the fulsome tribute paid by Canadian Donald Dubois after he judged last week’s Emerald Expo 2012 show in Kilkenny.

FIRST, something we expected — a New Zealand win.

Australia's economy contracted by 0.5% in the last quarter of 2008, the government said, in an unexpected announcement that suggested the country may be entering a recession.

Fines totalling €2.2m have been imposed on Bus Éireann, Meath County Council and Keltank Ltd for breaches of health and safety legislation arising out of the fatal crash in which five Meath schoolgirls died.

Cleanup crews braced today for the possibility of a massive oil spill and environmental catastrophe, propping up 18 miles of floating booms around the spot where an oil tanker broke in two and sank in the Atlantic.

The LE Eithne has left Dublin port with Garda permission following the death of 22-year-old crewman Brian Gorey on Sunday morning.