A BUSINESSMAN has lost his application for judgment orders for more than €22 million against three other businessmen over their failure to repay a €10m loan advanced to them to help buy lands at Millennium Park in Co Kildare for a record €315m.

THE British-based Lloyds TSB Bank suffered a £4 billion (€4.264bn) bad debt write-down on its Irish operations last year, up from €2.949bn in 2009.

HOUSEOWNERS should not expect any debt forgiveness from banks even though Bank of Scotland (Ireland) has moved slightly in that direction.

HUNDREDS of Bank of Scotland Ireland (BoSI) workers affected by the firm’s Irish wind down are set to receive massive bonus payments.

Results of a new survey show that there has been a reduction in the number of business approaching their banks for credit.

THE High Court has made an order winding up five companies in the Whelan group, one of the largest concrete suppliers in the country, after the directors of the companies yesterday withdrew their petition for examinership. The directors said they “profoundly regretted” that some 120 jobs will be lost.

TWO businessmen are being pursued by Bank of Scotland Ireland for judgment orders of €1.2 million arising from personal guarantees allegedly provided by them over loans to a company.

A HIGH Court judge has cleared the way for Bank of Scotland Ireland to cease operating here and, pending approval by the Scottish courts, to be absorbed into Bank of Scotland plc.

BONDHOLDERS in Irish Nationwide (INBS) and Anglo Irish Bank are set to take action to avoid incurring losses on their investments.

Lloyds Banking Group today said it has reached agreement with the management team at Bank of Scotland Ireland (BoSI) about setting up the independent company that will handle the wind-down of BoSI's operations here.

BANK of Scotland Ireland will today receive official notice of disruptive industrial action by 600 of its staff over the bank’s handling of its wind-down of its Irish operations.

Workers at Bank of Scotland Ireland have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action.

SENIOR management at Bank of Scotland (Ireland) are understood to be expecting a decision from Lloyds in the coming weeks on their bid to run the company being established to look after the bank’s Irish operations.

HOTELIERS are willing to pay a 2% premium on working capital loans, if the Government provides a guarantee on 50% of the cash advanced, Irish Hotels Federation president Paul Gallagher said last night.

ABILITY to tout for business from other banks will determine the career prospects of up to 800 of the staff currently employed by Bank of Scotland Ireland (BoSI).

SENIOR management at Bank of Scotland (Ireland) are believed to have applied to head-up the new company that will be set-up to run the bank’s €32 billion loan book following its pull out of Ireland.

THE pending closure of Bank of Scotland’s entire Irish operations should not adversely affect the bank’s existing mortgage customers here, but could pose further credit challenges for the country’s small business community.

THE decision of Bank of Scotland Ireland (BoSI) to pull out of Ireland will further deepen the storm clouds hanging over the country’s tottering economy.

The worst fears of 800 finance workers were realised tonight after Bank of Scotland (Ireland) (BoSI) announced it will shut its doors by the end of the year.

Bank of Scotland (Ireland) is to shut down, it confirmed today.

LLOYDS Banking Group has reported a swing back into profit for the first half of this year, but also saw losses on loans in its Irish division grow significantly during the period.

THE UNITE trade union has reached agreement with Bank of Scotland (Ireland) on enhanced redundancy terms for the 750 employees due to lose their jobs at the company’s retail banking arm, Halifax.

Bank of Scotland (Ireland) and union, Unite, have reached agreement on redundancy terms for workers in the Republic of Ireland.

The decision by Bank of Scotland Ireland to pull out of the retail market here has sparked fears of widespread job losses in the sector.

THE UNITE trade union has said it will fight to save the 750 jobs due to be lost later this year at Halifax Ireland and still sees the bank’s inclusion in a third force of Irish banking as a possibility.

UNITE trade union has said a third banking force is needed here to get credit flowing again.

FINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan’s budget assertion that “the worst is over” is sadly wide of the mark. There cannot be recovery in the real economy unless and until solutions are found to secure the viability of our banks and building societies.

HALIFAX has not reached a final decision on whether to pull out of the Irish market and is continuing to review its operations.

THE chairman of the board of a kitchen and bathroom supply company has denied claims of carrying on the company’s business in a reckless manner and has claimed he too was a victim of a “fraud” allegedly perpetrated on the company by its chief executive and chief operating officer.

The chief executive of Bank of Scotland (Ireland) has announced his intention to stand down in April.

THE Government will still recoup payments from all institutions covered in the bank guarantee scheme should the guarantee be called upon and payments not retrieved from the particular institution involved.

FOREIGN-OWNED banks that are not protected by the two-year state guarantee were quick to reassure customers yesterday their money is safe.

THE wife of missing solicitor Michael Lynn has told the High Court she remains in touch with her husband and last saw him just over a week ago in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia.

BANK OF SCOTLAND (IRELAND) has announced three new senior appointments within its regional banking division.

ULSTER Bank has secured orders from the Commercial Court requiring solicitor Michael Lynn to repay loans of about €6.3 million while Mr Lynn’s wife is resisting application for judgment for some €7.6m against her on grounds including a claim that banks have a duty of care to customers.

PRE-TAX profits at Bank of Scotland (Ireland) have surged by 14% to €118 million for the first half of the year.

BANK of Scotland Ireland (BOSI) is expected to sell up to 15 of the ESB retail outlets it bought earlier this year.

THREE cheers for Bank of Scotland Ireland. At last we may have the prospect of some real competition in the Irish banking sector.

THE new owner of National Irish Bank (NIB) yesterday defended itself against suggestions it had paid over the odds to gain access to the Irish retail banking market, following Bank of Scotland’s dramatic entrance on Wednesday.

The Chambers of Commerce of Ireland (CCI) has today welcomed the increased competition in the banking sector with today’s announcement that the ESB has agreed to sell its chain of retail outlets to Bank of Scotland Ireland (BoSI) for the development of a branch network.

Bank of Scotland (Ireland) could create up to 150 new jobs as its expands into retail banking over the next year.

GREATER competition among banks would save the economy €1.2 billion annually, according to a new report.

BANK of Scotland (Ireland) continued its drive yesterday to bring cheaper banking to the Irish consumer.

RESERVATIONS about major reform of the Irish retail banking industry have been expressed again by Bank of Scotland Ireland (BOSI).