Philip Browne has suggested Munster’s signing of Gerbrandt Grobler was down to a “crying need” for second-row cover, a situation that led the province and the IRFU to ignore the player’s former doping ban.

FAI CEO John Delaney has confirmed that Martin O’Neill’s new contract with the FAI will be signed early next week.

Aviva Ireland wants to increase its market share in pensions and life-assurance, having completed a €130m acquisition of Friends First, writes Eamon Quinn. 

Aviva Ireland wants to increase its market share in pensions and life-assurance, having completed a €130m acquisition of Friends First.

Rising premiums, lower claims, and better weather conditions helped drive a 12% year-on-year rise in profits at insurer Aviva Ireland in the first half of the year.

Here's your lunchtime bulletin.

Insurance firm Aviva Ireland, which saw its profits surge 20% last year, has called for a speedy implementation of the recommendations made in this week’s cost of insurance report.

Insurance companies have been accused of “putting lives at risk” by loading levies of up to 20% on premiums for motorists who volunteer to respond to medical emergencies in their communities.

Aviva Ireland has warned of the “serious challenge” claims costs continue to pose in the personal motor insurance market as it announced a €43m operating profit in the opening six months of the year.

Shareholders in Aviva Health shared a €12.5m dividend payout from the Irish company last year as its profits increased by close to 45%.

Aviva chief executive Mark Wilson’s take-home pay more than doubled to £5.67m (€7.2m) last year, after the purchase of rival Friends Life, the British insurer’s annual report showed yesterday.

Aviva Ireland has recorded its best financial performance in five years after posting profits of €85m last year.

The Irish arm of UK insurance giant Aviva grew its profits by 13% last year, with management stating the business is now “more sustainable” and well-placed to benefit from the country’s economic recovery.

Retired Aviva Ireland chief Sean Egan is the new chairman of the Rehab Group.

The Rehab group has announced Sean Egan as its new chairman.

The weather has not just left tourists feeling glum — it has been a key factor in a massive fall in profits at one of the country’s biggest insurers.

Aviva Ireland has launched a recruitment drive to fill 220 new jobs at the insurance firm in Galway.

An Post has reached initial agreement via its insurance subsidiary One Direct to buy the branch network element of the general insurance arm of Aviva Ireland.

Unite’s Brian Gallagher was handed a poisoned chalice when negotiating job cuts with Aviva, but the union official scored a victory by cutting the number of redundancies and securing 220 jobs for Galway, writes Kyran Fitzgerald

Insurer Aviva has said it hopes today's news about a reduction in the number of planned job losses ends speculation about its commitment to Ireland.

Ireland was the only territory in which British insurance giant Aviva failed to meet investment return targets last year.

AIB is expected to announce Irish Life as its new third-party life assurance and pensions provider next week, after ending its current partnership with Aviva.

The UNITE trade union is to seek an urgent meeting with the new chief executive of Aviva Ireland after a document outlining the closure of the entire Aviva network was leaked into the public domain.

MAJOR insurer Aviva is to close all of its Irish branches by June next year — a move which will cost over 1,200 jobs and leave just a handful of officials, one executive and a single call centre here.

UNION members at Aviva have voted to take industrial action if 950 jobs being axed are threatened before agreement is reached with staff.

Union members at Aviva have voted to take industrial action if 950 jobs being axed are threatened before agreement is reached with staff.

The Unite union has said that there is a "mood of anger and defiance" among Aviva staff after the insurance giant announced 950 job cuts yesterday.

Insurance giant Aviva treated staff disgracefully when it announced 950 redundancies, the Tánaiste has claimed.

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has described the loss of 950 jobs at Aviva "a huge shock".

Senior union figures have said the announcement of 950 job cuts at Aviva is "worse than anybody anticipated".

Insurance giant Aviva is to halve its workforce in Ireland over the next two-and-a-half years, it has been confirmed.

UNITE trade union has said Aviva Ireland has neither confirmed nor denied reports that up to 500 jobs are to be lost at the company’s Irish operation.

The Aviva Insurance company has said it is too early to speculate on the final outcome of a review of its business in Ireland.

UP TO 500 jobs are believed to be under threat at the insurance giant Aviva Ireland as it moves to restructure its European business.

THREE out of every four Irish people on the verge of retirement will be almost completely dependent on state pensions, a study has revealed.

Irish workers need to bank an extra €9,100 a year to financially survive retirement, a report on the pensions timebomb said today.

FBD is not planning any premium hikes despite paying out €50 million as a result of the big freeze and the floods last year.

HOMEOWNERS could face premium hikes after insurance companies announced record pay-outs due to the devastating impact of floods and freezing temperatures last winter.

AVIVA Ireland said it is satisfied with the rate at which premiums are set and said it is not concerned with cost-cutting measures.

The chief executive of Aviva Ireland says he has seen a surge in people taking out health insurance with the company in the wake of the Quinn saga.

ULSTER Bank is to diversify into the motor insurance market and plans to create one of the largest in-branch distribution networks in the Irish market.

INSURANCE firm, Aviva faced claims of just over €90 million as a result of recent flood and storm damage in Ireland.