The Department of Finance has defended its decision to sell €1bn in contingent capital notes (CCN) amid criticism that it was a bad deal for the State.

FOR Peter Brown it’s a no-brainer. Gambling is for entertainment. Spread betting is how to make money. And with a punt just a click of a mouse away, the potential to make buckets of cash is out there, but you have to be careful.

WHEN the banking crisis erupted in September 2008 experts stressed the importance of coming to terms with the crisis as quickly as possible.

AS the EU is left to confront the possibility of the break-up of the single currency, Dutch bank ING recently presented a chilling account of what the fallout might be for the 16 member states who signed up for the euro, now in its 11th year.