The Department of Finance has failed to explain why Ireland did not apply to be a founding member of a major new Asian investment bank.

A top economic advisory group says the Finance Minister Michael Noonan must provide details of how the Programme for Government will be paid for.

Nationalising Irish Water could shoot holes in the Government’s promise to get the State’s budget to break even by 2018.

Those earning in excess of €100,000 will be hit by a “wealth tax” of 5% under controversial plans proposed by Finance Minister Michael Noonan.

A River Shannon taskforce and an extra €10m to cover the clean-up cost are among more than 12 measures agreed by the Government to deal with the flooding crisis.

Exports have fallen to their lowest level since March, official figures published yesterday showed, raising the first question about whether a remarkable upsurge that is driving the economic recovery can last.

Cork’s city planners have sought ministerial approval for the major extension of a tax break scheme designed to promote regeneration and city living, and to include the city’s main shopping and office districts.

Official figures yesterday showed that the annual rate of home price increases has eased in some regions, but the headache for the Government in considering a potential overhaul of the local property tax has far from lessened, according to an analysis by the Irish Examiner.

Enda Kenny is very slippery on Greece.

The equal split approach, between spending increases and tax reductions, being proposed for October’s budget has been rejected as “inappropriate”, given the current levels of both revenue and spending.

Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s has said Ireland’s economy is rebounding strongly and will see rapid economic expansion for much of the rest of the decade.

A plan that would see EU countries being allocated a share of 20,000 refugees in the next year may be acceptable to Ireland according to Finance Minister Michael Noonan.

The Spring Statement tomorrow, which will be announced by the Finance Minister Michael Noonan, is expected to mark the end of austerity in Ireland.

AIB intends to promote its retail and business unit head Bernard Byrne to the role of chief executive, and is seeking permission from regulators for the move, according to a source.

The findings of a Central Bank probe into why banks failed to pass on variable mortgage rate cuts to customers needs to be made public as soon as possible, opposition TDs have urged.

I’VE JUST finished watching a masterful take down of the global tobacco industry — it’s so good it’s my second time viewing it, and won’t be my last.

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin has told a conference in Dublin that the people of Ireland have lost sight of the depth of the economic crisis.

Sino-Irish relations may go back as far as the mysterious ‘Chinese Celts’, but Bette Browne says there is room to improve modern ties to the newly crowned biggest economy in the world

President Michael D Higgins has arrived in Beijing to begin his week-long state visit to China.

Standard & Poor’s has raised its credit rating on Ireland, saying the move reflects its view of the country’s “solid economic growth prospects”.

The Government’s annual corporate tax take from the operators of stallion stud services increased almost three fold from a low base to €6.4m in the latest figures available.

Ireland is ranked 13th in the world and second in the eurozone for ease of doing business, according to the World Bank.

Budget 2015 ignored the needs of the self-employed and provided no support for entrepreneurship, the majority of business leaders believe.

By Mary Regan, Irish Examiner Political Editor

Ireland could be looking at growth rates of 3% a year for the next decade according to Finance Minister Michael Noonan, that would leave the crisis years far behind.

Nama will supply 4,500 housing units in Dublin over the next 18 months, said the agency’s chief executive, Brendan McDonagh.

The Government will look to secure agreement over the next few months to refinance €15bn of IMF loans, according to Finance Minister Michael Noonan.

The Government could net a further €4m in interest from over 250,000 properties which have not paid the 2012 household charge.

Forget being wary of Greeks bearing gifts. They’re amateurs when compared to politicians bearing medical cards on the eve of an election, writes Fiachra Ó Cionnaith.

A third-tier medical card mooted by Health Minister James Reilly must be paid for out of his department’s current budget, according to Finance Minister Michael Noonan.

The Government remains on track to meet the 4.8% fiscal deficit target agreed with the troika by the end of this year.

Nama could help get small builders back constructing houses in Dublin, according to Finance Minister Michael Noonan, who said he had spoken about this to the country’s bad bank.

Ratings agency Moody's has restored Ireland’s sovereign credit rating to investment grade and changed its rating outlook to positive from stable.

Increasing numbers of Europeans who have lost confidence in EU economic policies are moving from the centre to fringe and extremist parties, according to Finance Minister Michael Noonan.

Agreeing a credit line between a common resolution fund and the ESM will be the most effective way of breaking the bank-sovereign doom loop, according to Finance Minister Michael Noonan.

Science versus faith: a Euro conundrum

The decision not to seek a special overdraft facility was finalised at an emergency cabinet meeting today ahead of Finance Minister Michael Noonan flying out to a summit in Brussels.

No deal can be done on Ireland’s legacy bank debt until at least the end of next year, Finance Minister Michael Noonan has revealed.

People who succeed in life are not always the “brightest and the best”, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary told university scholarship students from the 32 counties over the weekend.

Elderly people who do not live “gold-plated” lifestyles and who suffered a raft of other budget cuts are to be among the worst hit by the slashing of health insurance tax relief — with bills likely to increase by hundreds of euro.

Cuts introduced in the budget could result in the loss of up to 30,000 jobs, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has estimated.

The Finance Minister Michael Noonan is said to be considering a cut in VAT for construction workers to kick-start the industry.