I admire Health Minister Leo Vardkar’s proposed new drinks bill to set a minimum price for alcohol to decrease drinking and improve our health.

The potential sale of Aer Lingus to International Airlines Group (IAG), managed by former Aer Lingus pilot and CEO, and previously a management buy-out suitor, Willie Walsh, is raising alarm bells for anyone with anything to do with the airline business.

A truck drivers’ protest which has caused serious disruption to Dublin traffic this morning has come to an end.

Pat Rabbitte’s statement in the Irish Examiner about "licence fee evasion being an ongoing scourge" beggars belief, but also confirms just how far the Labour Party has drifted away from its core, human values and how lost the party is.

EUROPEAN Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley last night came out strongly in favour of the current status of the Irish Open Championship even though it is still without a title sponsor and its prize fund at Fota Island this week is €2 million, well below what the European Tour and quite a number of leading players would like it to be.

New Zealand rugby legend Sean Fitzpatrick believes Ireland are right to apply to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Two starkly contrasting faces of Ireland — one impressively hi-tech and the other depressingly reminiscent of a third-world country — were highlighted as Enda Kenny rang a bell in Dublin to open yesterday’s trading session on the New York-based Nasdaq stock exchange.

The prospects for the economy are improving, but it will be another two years before a recovery takes hold, according to the Ireland France Chamber of Commerce (IFCC) Sentiment Survey.

Last weekend I was, as usual, fooling around West Cork and came across a small establishment outside Macroom in a place called Toons Bridge.

The improved weather forecast for the next few days at least offers some respite to farmers — and to Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney.

K Nolan (Letters, Jun 23) tells us that he shows his visitors from abroad Bertie Ahern’s TV commercial for a tabloid newspaper, presumably as his contribution to the welfare of Ireland Inc. This must afford him great satisfaction.

K Nolan (Letters, Jun 23) tells us that he shows his visitors from abroad Bertie Ahern’s TV commercial for a tabloid newspaper, presumably as his contribution to the welfare of Ireland Inc. This must afford him great satisfaction.

IT companies can generate six jobs in the general economy for every one high-tech job created, according to it@cork analysis.

Innovation and financial planning are playing a key role in the expanding output evident in Irish agriculture, business advisory firm Grant Thornton has said.

As our country celebrates its birthday today, astrologer Margaret Neylonsees hope on the horizon — maybe even a Euro 2012 win

Hopes for Ireland’s first commercial oil strike have soared after tests broke key targets yesterday.

An informal group helping children and teens develop their skills as computer coders started in Cork last year — and it’s just about to go global, writes Tommy Barker

Never was there a greater need to sell Ireland abroad. That fact of economic reality underlines the importance of the Government’s promotional visit to the US.

SAY what you like about Enda, but at least he doesn’t dwell on the details of his honeymoon in public.

IS it any wonder that the country is in the state that it is when the teflon taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, believes that the cause of the problem is really down to the media for not keeping a closer eye on what was happening in the economy rather than focusing on his shenanigans?

A NEW academic year begins.

IT now seems unavoidable that minority stakes — at the very least — in pivotal semi-state companies will be sold to try to sustain investment in essential capital projects.

WHEN the governor of the Central Bank starts sentences with the words: “I will say something reckless now...” you begin to wonder just how much further this country has yet to fall financially.

THE national preoccupation of living life through the rearview mirror meant that Peter Nyberg’s historic analysis of our economic crisis took precedence over Colm McCarthy’s privatisation prescriptions for state companies.

MICHAEL NOONAN can correctly claim a lot of credit for the resuscitation of Fine Gael in the polls since last June by providing a credible anchor of economic policy.

MUNSTER’S leaders in technology have been celebrated for their contribution to the technology sector in an award ceremony for those who are driving success in the area.

YESTERDAY’S sad news from the Shannon region, where 207 good jobs were lost to lower-cost economies, again underlined one of the unavoidable and terrifying truths of our time.

Architects, engineers and builders are calling on the Government to ''move Ireland Inc. forward'' by investing in capital projects.

BANKING commentator Bill Hobbs is absolutely right when he says that yesterday’s solutions will not solve today’s crisis (May 3).

The IDA is planning to bring more than 100,000 new jobs here by 2014 through selling Ireland Inc. as a good place to do business.

Public-sector workers tonight threatened crippling strike action after bearing the brunt of the toughest Budget in the country’s history.

Dublin: One of the world’s leading experts on reputation risk management has told Ireland’s top business leaders that reputation risk is a “business killer”.

AER Lingus is at the most critical juncture in its history and the planned cost cutting measures must be achieved, according to Aer Lingus board member Leslie Buckley.

AS I watch in fascinated horror at the inexorable progress of the Green party in committing an act of political suicide by nailing their colours, alongside those of their coalition partners, on the mast of the slowly sinking ship Ireland Inc, in pursuit of an insane policy spearheaded by NAMA, they would do well carefully to consider their current position.

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Micheál Martin has warned against “losing the plot” when it comes to curtailing politicians’ travel on cost grounds.

BT and Vodafone today received approval from the Irish Competition Authority to progress the strategic partnership announced on July 22 this year.

BT and Vodafone have today agreed a strategic partnership which could lead to a more competitive telecoms network in Ireland.

IT was a case of second time lucky for three young US backpackers who were denied entry to Ireland a fortnight ago, as the three friends breezed through customs in Dublin to begin their holiday of a lifetime.

FARMING organisations have objected to the decision by the Department of Agriculture to publish the name and home town of farmers who received payments under the Common Agricultural Policy.

THE media has elevated economists to guru level and dramatised the slowdown in the construction sector.

Fine Gael today called for a temporary freeze on everyday costs such as toll charges, bus fares and the RTÉ licence fee to help recession-hit consumers.

NEITHER this Government nor the younger generation have previously experienced a serious recession because this is the first time in more than 20 years that we have had one and so our ability to deal with it is questionable.

DON’T write the economy off just yet was the message this week from Bank of Ireland.