The boss of Europe’s largest budget airline today called for an informed debate on the industry’s impact on climate change.

Green Party Environment spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD has rejected claims made by Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary that his company was Europe's greenest airline.

The ISEQ-index of Irish shares has shrugged off a disappointing performance in the firsxt week of the new year by closing today's trading in more positive territory climbing 38.36 points to 9432.84.

Ryanair has rejected a British minister’s criticism as "foolish nonsense".

Britain's Environment Minister has launched a scathing attack on Ryanair over its policies on climate change.

A new service is aiming to help UK environmental companies get access to global investors.

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain faced calls today to make a statement on the threat to around 400 republicans whose details were found in the hands of loyalists.

The British government faced demands for an inquiry today into the passing on of information about 400 republicans in Belfast, including Gerry Adams, to loyalist paramilitaries.

The British government was today accused of delivering a slap in the face to the victims of Northern Ireland’s Troubles by refusing to allow them special access to European Union funds.

The notorious Maze jail site has been identified as the only suitable location for Northern Ireland’s new national sports stadium, the British government said tonight.

THE free movement of animals on the island of Ireland should be the ultimate objective of an all-Ireland animal health and welfare strategy.

Assets which include nearly 50 properties have been frozen as part of a major investigation into the affairs of an alleged Northern Ireland-based drugs dealer, it was revealed today.

AN ALLEGED Northern Ireland-based drugs dealer, who owns an apartment in Dublin and companies here, has had assets and 50 properties worth over €7 million frozen as part of a major investigation.

THERE are lies, damned lies and then there is Sinn Féin propaganda that republicans cannot be involved in criminal activity.

THE IRA has forged an alliance with a network of criminal gangs in Britain in a multi-million euro cigarette and fuel smuggling racket, a former head of the Special Branch in Belfast claimed yesterday.

A new law giving employers in Northern Ireland the right to see the criminal records of potential employees moved a step closer today.

Northern Ireland’s farming industry has seen its total income rise by £173m (€250.2m) over the past year, British government figures revealed today.

POLICE chiefs have not ruled out the possibility that those behind one of the biggest bank raids in European history had someone working on the inside.

Police chiefs have not ruled out the possibility that paramilitaries were behind one of the biggest bank raids in British history.

Radical proposals for a multi billion-pound spending spree to address Northern Ireland’s infrastructure deficit were announced today.

Christmas shoppers in Northern Ireland were urged today not to give festive presents to organised crime by buying from counterfeiters.

Northern Ireland’s new national sports stadium will be part of a £1bn (€1.42bn) development planned for the site of the old Maze Prison, it emerged today.

The British government’s recognition of a loyalist paramilitary group’s ceasefire is a risk worth taking, a Northern Ireland minister insisted today.

Brotosh Prime Minister Tony Blair was tonight told he must prove over the next few days that he would stick to his word on securing full IRA disarmament.

The British government has total confidence in disarmament body chief General John de Chastelain’s role in verifying any future move on IRA weapons, a junior minister insisted today.

Three quarters of the public in Northern Ireland believe paramilitaries are running organised crime rackets, a new report revealed today.

The Northern Ireland Federation of Small Businesses has reacted to the Budget and Economic Vision Plan unveiled today by the North's Finance Minister Ian Pearson.

CROSS-BORDER police operations have intercepted criminal activity worth hundreds of millions of euro in recent years, according to a new report.

Greater co-operation between the Gardaí and the PSNI is resulting in "significant successes" against organised crime on both sides of the border.

Civil servants in Northern Ireland have taken a “take it or leave it” pay offer from the British government in defiance of their union leaders who wanted an all-out strike, it was announced today.

An extra £12m (€17.8m) is being allocated to the British department of health to cut hospital waiting lists in the North and to boost bed capacity during the winter months, it was announced today.

Striking civil servants in Northern Ireland were today made a final offer to end their pay row.

A row between rival unionists over next month’s crucial Northern Ireland peace process talks escalated after the DUP was accused today of breaking its promise to stop concessions to republicans.

GOVERNMENT ministers have placed the lives of 400 people at risk by refusing to warn them about how they may be affected by a breach at a Belfast security complex, it was claimed yesterday.

Northern Ireland Minister Barry Gardiner today called on the Civil Service union to ballot its members on its latest pay offer.

Striking civil servants in Northern Ireland will continue their bitter pay dispute with the British government after turning down a fresh pay offer, their union said today.

Industrial action by civil servants in Northern Ireland is to continue after intervention today by the North's Secretary of State Paul Murphy failed to resolve the long running dispute.

British soldiers have been questioned about the theft of a missing intelligence dossier of terrorist suspects, it emerged tonight.

The British government today refused to align fuel duty in Northern Ireland with tax rates in the Republic in a bid to tackle petrol smuggling across the border.

Sinn Féin has expressed growing concern about the whereabouts of a dossier that has gone missing from the top-security Castlereagh police and military base in Belfast.

BRITISH troop levels in the North are three times higher than the peacetime target, a watchdog body confirmed yesterday.

More than 50 prison warders homes were attacked in Northern Ireland last year, it was revealed today.

Union chiefs tonight vowed to fight any move by Gordon Brown to axe a quarter of administrative jobs in Northern Ireland’s civil service.

Union chiefs have warned against expectations of an early settlement to civil service strike action in Northern Ireland.