FOR all of Ireland’s efforts to distinguish itself from Greece, it’s their similarities that have helped debt sold from Dublin to outperform all peers since last month’s meeting of European leaders.

The Central Bank Governor Patrick Honohan has said the EU/IMF bailout programme gives the Government a "window of time" to rebuild market confidence.

THE fifth stress test exercise on the Irish banks — bringing the total bailout bill for the country’s financial sector to around €70 billion — “doesn’t score highly on fairness” to the taxpayer, but marks the best way forward, according to Central Bank Governor Patrick Honohan.

The final bill for bailing out Ireland’s banks will be €70bn after stress tests by the Central Bank in Dublin detailed that four institutions need another €24bn.

Negotiating teams from Fine Gael and Labour once more faced each across the table at Leinster House this afternoon as efforts continued to thrash out a coalition deal.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has today confirmed that the deposit book of Anglo Irish Bank will be moved to another place within the State in the coming weeks.

Europe tried to bounce Ireland into an international bailout before the Cabinet could discuss it, a senior minister said last night.

The International Monetary Fund mission begins its inspection of Ireland’s debt-ridden finances today.

The Finance Minister Brian Lenihan has said it would be "very desirable" if a substantial contingency capital fund were to be made available by the EU and the IMF for Ireland.

Central Bank Governor Patrick Honohan has said that the Government's budgetary plan is very much the sort of policy package the International Monetary Fund would try to impose in Ireland.

A GENERAL increase in global IT spend over the coming months could significantly benefit the jobs market here, a conference has heard.

Significant Budget savings would be needed even if the Government did not have to bail out the banks, Central Bank Governor Patrick Honohan said tonight.

THE Financial Regulator has told a Dáil committee that there is scope for the Government to buy debt back from bondholders in the banks, at a discount, but warned that any approach should be made with extreme caution.

The Opposition has today rounded on the Government's management of the 2008 financial crisis.

Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan will appear before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service today.

Central Bank Governor Patrick Honohan has said Ireland's financial crisis was "three-quarters home-grown".

The Finance Minister Brian Lenihan will today shed light on the circumstances surrounding the Irish banking crisis, when he brings two reports on the matter to Cabinet.

Two major reports on the causes of Ireland's banking collapse could be released by the government this week.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen was accused today of allowing bankers to write their own rules and pave the way for so-called light-touch regulation when Finance Minister.

The Financial Regulator today revealed new capital requirements for some of the main banks covered under the government guarantee scheme.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed in principle to make a contribution of up to €500m to the Dublin Metro project.