THE global market has become more challenging for Irish firms and they will have to work smarter if they are to stay ahead, says Enterprise Ireland.

CEO of Enterprise Ireland Dan Flinter is to step down from his position from the end of July.

HAVING headed Enterprise Ireland and its predecessor for 10 years Dan Flinter has refused an extension of his contract for another five years.

ENTERPRISE Ireland (EI) has announced a new €10 million fund to help build business competitiveness overseas.

MORE than 1,500 jobs will be created in new technology companies in the next three years despite the downturn in the economy, according to Enterprise Ireland.

THE Taoiseach is to alert the authorities in Ireland to the threat posed by the dramatic reduction in the price of cocaine from Colombia.

THE new national partnership deal must not harm the competitiveness of Irish companies by agreeing to large pay claims, business leaders warned yesterday.

The Government’s Enterprise Ireland agency, for developing home-based exporting companies, recorded a net decline in employment for the first time in a decade last year.

IRISH firms have to fight harder to win overseas business, a major conference was told yesterday.