Earlier this week the banks launched an organisation that would “change the culture” of how they do business and treat customers.

Two of the Big Four accounting firms said they will stop offering consulting services to audit customers in an effort to restore public trust in a sector shaken by corporate scandals.

Education Minister Richard Bruton has said the State cannot intercede and take on the private debts of companies that go into liquidation.

The Department of Education is facing a showdown with schools subcontractors who have been left out of pocket after the collapse of the British construction giant Carrillion and the Irish group Sammon.

A contingency fund should be set up to ensure sub-contractors are paid what they are owed after massive delays and liquidations of two main firms involved in a school building public-private partnership (PPP), some TDs and senators believe.

The continuation of work on five schools, which was stalled due to the collapse of British construction giant Carillion could be open to legal challenge, a TD has claimed.

Two school extensions being built by the troubled Sammon Group are already over a year behind schedule.

Five schools and a college being built by a partnership involving the collapsed UK construction firm Carillion should be open by September.

PwC has raked in over £20million (€23m) for its role in winding down failed outsourcer Carillion, with the British accountancy giant set to pocket even more cash as the process drags on.

The UK’s Financial Reporting Council has opened an investigation into KPMG’s auditing of the now-collapsed Carillion covering the years 2014 to 2017, the watchdog has said.

Unions in England have attacked news that apprentices caught up in the collapse of construction giant Carillion will not be paid from later this week.

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Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has conceded it will take “a couple of weeks” to resolve the fallout from the collapse of the Carillion construction company, and is causing a knock-on impact on six schools in Ireland.

The Taoiseach says ensuring new schools open despite the collapse of the building company involved is a government priority.

Works should continue as usual on five schools being built for the Department of Education by a consortium led by one of the UK’s biggest building firms which is in liquidation.

Executives at Carillion should be forced to hand back their "exorbitant bonuses", ministers have been told.

The number of profit warnings issued by British companies jumped to 75 in the third quarter, the biggest quarterly rise in almost six years as economic pressures weighed on retailers and support service companies, business services group EY has said writes Paul Sandle, Andy Bruce and Elizabeth Piper.

DIA has become a frustrating play for short sellers. The Spanish supermarket chain’s shares are up 12% this year, outperforming peers.

Troubled British construction giant Balfour Beatty today disclosed that it had spurned a fresh merger bid from rival Carillion as it reported a slump in half-year profits.

The FTSE 100 Index rose 1% today as positive economic news tempted buyers into the market.

The London market fell back below the 5200 mark today amid falls for retailers and concerns over US earnings reports.

Leisure group Whitbread gained ground after resilient results on a flat day for the wider London market.

The UK’s competition watchdog today fined 103 construction firms a total of £129.5m (€143m) after an investigation into illegal “bid-rigging”.

More than 100 construction firms were today accused of “bid-rigging” by competition watchdogs after one of the biggest ever investigations by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in the UK.

More than 100 construction firms in the UK were today accused of “bid-rigging” by competition watchdogs after one of the biggest ever investigations by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

Upbeat trading news from Lloyds TSB saw the bank make strong gains today but failed to provide direction on the wider London market.

The creation of a £4.7bn (€6.5bn) building giant moved a step closer today after Alfred McAlpine agreed to be bought by larger rival Carillion for £572m (€794m).

Speculation over a possible takeover approach for Redrow caused shares in the housebuilding sector to rally today.

Construction and support services group Alfred McAlpine was today under pressure from shareholders to reconsider its rejection of a £584m (€837m) bid approach.

IRISH services firm Resource has bought British-based Pall Mall for €28.5 million, in a move that will see it increase its annual revenues to €215m.

The London market plunged into the red today after heavy early losses on Wall Street and fresh doubts over mortgage lenders sent blue chips tumbling.

Mortgage banks and retailers dragged the FTSE 100 Index back into negative territory today, bringing yesterday’s last minute rally to a close.

The London market kept hold of gains from its previous session today as investors appeared determined to recoup recent falls.

British construction and support services firm Carillion said today it faced an “uncertain” outlook for its rail business today after suffering declining volumes last year.

Disappointment over annual results from a number of blue-chip firms held the London market close to its opening mark today.

Shares in London struggled through a lacklustre session today as heavy losses by British Energy weighed on the market.

Progress by a string of utilities was not enough to cheer the rest of the London market today.

Marks & Spencer and a clutch of utility stocks were in positive territory today as the FTSE 100 Index enjoyed an upbeat start to the week.

The FTSE 100 Index saw hopes of its highest finish in four years extinguished today by news that the United States had stockpiled more oil than traders thought.

Mobile phone giant Vodafone helped the FTSE 100 Index soar to a fresh four-year high today as investors cheered news on customer numbers in Japan.

The FTSE 250 Index raced to a record high today as the wider London market enjoyed another day of strong growth.

CONSTRUCTION and engineering firm Carillion has emerged as the possible bidder behind an approach for troubled rival Mowlem, a member of the consortium building Dublin’s Port Tunnel.

British construction and engineering firm Carillion today emerged as the possible bidder behind an approach for troubled rival Mowlem.

The London market extended its gains today as investors welcomed further signals that the Bank of England will refrain from hiking interest rates next week.