GREAT-West Lifeco, Canada’s second-largest insurer, is the leading candidate to acquire Irish Life & Permanent’s life assurance unit, according to two people familiar with the matter.

THE EU’s funding facility put off raising €3 billion for Ireland because the cost had escalated following Greece’s referendum announcement.

THE Government may cut at least 1 percentage point off its 2012 economic forecast as a global slowdown curbs the export-led recovery, according to people familiar with the subject.