IRELAND could lose agriculture, fisheries and regional funding from the EU and be fined, under plans to enforce tight budget rules on governments and force them to adjust spending.

Up to 80 jobs will be created by the establishment of a new global research and development centre in Belfast, it was announced today.

Business trends were turned on their head today when an Indian IT company announced it was creating 250 call centre jobs in Northern Ireland.

TONY MULLINS, fresh from a splendid Christmas, topped up at Tramore yesterday when Barrow Drive won the featured Wilf Dooly Chase in the hands of Barry Geraghty.