From a job interview to being tasked with an important presentation at work, public speaking is intimidating. But don’t fear, Catherine Moonan, who worked on the ‘Dragons Den’, is here with tips to bring you the confidence you need.

Credit unions and post offices would have the power to provide loans, mortgages, and debit cards under community banking plans put forward by the Social Democrats.

John Daly rounds up the best and most informative business, management, and financial books of the year

Three years ago John Joyce began creating a virtual world full of fun games that also help to educate children, and now Savvybear.com is getting ready to take on the world, writes Trish Dromey

The Pregnancy and Baby Fair is the hugely successful brainchild of two women who were confident enough to brave the Dragons’ Den, says Jonathan deBurca Butler

At least one person is making hay while it pours: One of the country’s main retailers of flood barriers.

Entrepreneurs are to be offered financial backing worth £69m (€82m) from the British Government, under a scheme which Prime Minister David Cameron believes will help create tens of thousands of new businesses.

Men are in big demand in Kinsale.

Dragons’ Den star Duncan Bannatyne has cracked how to get the attention of the IBRC special liquidator — you go on Twitter.

As Dragons’ Den returns, Sue Leonard meets three women who shunned the recession to go it alone in business

Niall O’Farrell this week saw the business he founded in the mid-1980s, the formal suit hire firm Blacktie, fall into liquidation. The Dragons’ Den star will be hoping his investments on the show pay off soon, writes Kyran Fitzgerald

A liquidator is to be formally appointed to Blacktie — the well-known chain of men’s formalwear shops — at the end of this month, its owner revealed yesterday.

You can’t promote your own award-winning wine in Ireland without including a visit to Cork.

Trade creditors from collapsed firms associated with former hurling star DJ Carey have yet to see any monies from the liquidation of the companies.

A key member of a team tasked with developing the new National Children’s Hospital has claimed some alternative sites to the Mater are only being put forward simply to get rid of costly Celtic Tiger-era land.

Sportswear firm JD Sports Fashion today confirmed it is close to landing “certain assets” of the ailing retailer Blacks Leisure.

Slow and steady wins the race.

THE presidency is Sean Gallagher’s to lose after three polls in 24 hours confirmed the Independent candidate holds a double-digit lead over Labour’s Michael D Higgins.

David Norris has been formally selected for the race for the Áras as the seventh and final candidate.

THE office of president is not for a retiring politician, presidential hopeful Sean Gallagher said yesterday.

THE country’s only Irish-owned prepaid mobile network is to cease operations.

THE tight three-way battle for the Fine Gael presidential nomination comes to a head today as party members and hierarchy decide who will lead their bid for the Áras.

SPECIAL Olympics organiser Mary Davis has formally announced she is to seek a nomination as an independent candidate for autumn’s presidential election.

WALKING into the Dragons’ Den, entrepreneurs usually expecting a roasting.

LOOKING for a talented farmer with a bright future? Take your pick.

British high street retailer Woolworths will hold its “biggest ever” sale today as administrators remain in talks with potential buyers of the troubled firm.

'Dragons’ Den' entrepreneur Theo Paphitis said today he wanted to keep the Woolworths name alive after confirming his involvement in talks with administrators for the ailing high street chain.

Woolworths could be broken up as early as this week as around a dozen serious bidders circle the high street chain, Sunday newspapers in England said today.

DESPITE the cheery glow, the banter and experience of cooking for celebrities, Irish chef Niall Harbison failed to persuade the crew of the notorious Dragons’ Den to part with their investment cash to make his dream come true.