Men and women desperate to have a child are being exploited by fertility clinics, quoting inflated success rates and suggesting expensive tests that will not increase the chances of having a baby.

David Cameron’s general election campaign ran into its first setback within hours of his visit to Buckingham Palace to inform the Queen of the dissolution of parliament as a respected economic think tank challenged his claim that a Labour victory would result in tax rises of more than £3,000 (€4,100) for every working family.

The children of the 1960s and 1970s will only be better off than the previous generation when they retire due to inherited wealth, a leading economic think-tank in the UK has found.

A legal dispute between AIB and several former senior executives whom the bank accused of secretly scheming to take over its international financial services business has been settled, the Commercial Court has heard.

A legal dispute between AIB and several former senior executives whom the bank has accused of secretly scheming to take over its international financial services business has been settled, the Commercial Court heard yesterday.

AUGUST-BORN children are less likely to attend a leading university and more likely to study practical courses than their September-born peers, research suggests.

The High Court has granted AIB certain, but not all, orders it sought against its former executives and a rival company the bank claims conspired to take over the clients, business and staff of AIB's International Financial Services (IFS) business.

THE High Court will rule next week on an application by AIB for an injunction against a number of former executives and a rival company the bank claims conspired to take over the clients, business and staff of AIB’s International Financial Services (IFS) business.

The High Court will rule next week on an application by AIB for an injunction against a number of former executives and a rival rival company the bank claims conspired to take over the clients, business and staff of AIB's International Financial Services (IFS) business.

A BUSINESS would be dealt a major blow at a “critical” early stage if AIB was granted a “sweeping injunction” stopping several former senior executives from canvassing any clients.

SEVERAL former executives with an AIB subsidiary acted in acted in “a deliberate, clandestine and unlawful manner” by planning to take over its international financial services business, the High Court heard.

Several former senior executives with an AIB subsidiary acted in "a deliberate, clandestine and unlawful manner" by secretly scheming to take over its international financial services business, the High Court has heard.

Settlement talks have failed to resolve a High Court dispute involving AIB and several of its former senior executives accused by the bank of secretly scheming to take over the clients, business and staff of AIB's international financial services business for their own gain.

AIB is to enter mediation talks with six former executives accused by the bank of secretly scheming to take over the clients, business and staff of AIB’s international financial services business for their own gain, the High Court heard yesterday.

AIB is to enter mediation talks with six former senior executives accused by the bank of secretly scheming to take over the clients, business and staff of AIB's international financial services business for their own gain, the High Court heard today.

A HIGH Court action by AIB against six senior executives accused of secretly scheming to take over the clients, business and staff of the bank’s international financial services business for their own gain has been adjourned until next week.

The Commercial Court is to hear a case next week involving accusations that six AIB executives colluded to undermine the bank's International Financial Services business.

SIX senior AIB executives secretly and systematically colluded in the preparation and execution of a premeditated strategy to undermine and damage the bank’s International Financial Services business for their own gain, the High Court has heard.

SIX senior AIB executives conspired to undermine and damage the bank’s international financial services section for their own gain, the High Court has heard.

The State owned Allied Irish Bank has been granted temporary orders by the High Court against six former senior executives of one of its successful subsidiaries, Allied Irish Bank International Financial Services Ltd. (AIBIFS)

THE pain of Britain’s forthcoming spending squeeze — the most sustained of its kind since WWII — may yet force the government to rethink its strategy, the head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies told Reuters.

OLDER Americans suffer more chronic disease than their English counterparts, but the English die earlier, according to a study.

Labour fought back today against charges that it has not been straight with voters over public finances after an independent economic think tank warned Britain was heading for cuts on a scale unseen for a generation.

Britain is facing public spending cuts on a scale unseen for a generation whoever wins the general election, an influential think-tank warned today as it accused the main parties of failing to come clean with voters.

GORDON BROWN yesterday launched a distinctly Blairite Labour manifesto for the general election, promising to reform public services to “put people in charge” and pledging not to raise income tax rates.

The UK government needs to find another £13bn (€14.8bn) in tax hikes or spending cuts over the next five years to help restore the UK's ailing public finances, a leading economic forecaster warned today.

A record £23bn (€25.9bn) in public borrowing during November is set to heap more pressure on British Chancellor Alistair Darling today.

LOCAL authorities have been urged by Minister of State Tony Killeen to consider outlets for forestry as part of their county development plans.

EQUAL rights for private forestry owners were sought yesterday by a leading asset management company.

THE month in which a child is born can influence their school performance and, later, chances of going to college and having a successful career, according to new research.

EITHER partner in a couple undergoing fertility treatment should have the right to back out of the arrangement if they change their mind, a group representing fertility practitioners said.

The Irish economy looks set to thrive this year with many new business ventures expected to kick-off, a Government agency said today.

THE number of people employed in international financial services in Ireland increased by more than 1,100 last year.

Irish Financial Services, a business group representing Ireland's banks, has reacted with anger to the Tánaiste's comments about the recent cut in interest rates by the European Central Bank.

Mr Pierce Farrell of Farrell Grant Sparks was appointed Receiver at the instigation of Ulster Bank to whom IFS owe a substantial sum, believed to be in the region of £1m.

Mr Pierce Farrell of Farrell Grant Sparks was appointed Receiver at the instigation of Ulster Bank to whom IFS owe a substantial sum, believed to be in the region of £1m.