A major step to secure the future of the VHI and ensure older people can afford private health insurance has been taken with the approval of the risk equalisation scheme by the European Commission.

MORE than half of all company bosses drive either a BMW or Mercedes, a survey on executive benefits has found.

The National Treasury Management Agency, established by the Government three years ago to cope with the country’s national debt, has taken over responsibility for dealing with personal injury and other claims against the state.

MOST independent observers now predict that the Government will end up with a deficit at the end of the current year, because tax returns are running well below the budget predictions, while government spending is running ahead of projections. The ESRI is predicting that the deficit will be in the region of €900m.