MORE investment is needed in the promotion of maths and science at Irish schools.

YESTERDAY’S announcement of 100 jobs lost at a Dublin services company has brought to more than 1,000 the number of jobs lost in companies around Ireland in just one week.

THE Government spends barely one-third per student of the amount allocated in England on computers and technology in schools, business organisation IBEC has claimed.

The energy bill faced by Irish business has soared by €1bn in just three years, it was claimed today

The US computer giant IBM is planning to create 300 new jobs in Dublin as part of a €46m expansion of its operations in the capital.

THE business community has added its voice to calls for extra points for college entry for Leaving Certificate students who take higher level maths and science subjects.

The association representing companies in the high-tech sector has called for the introduction of tax incentives in this year's budget to encourage people to buy home computers.

ICT Ireland, the high tech sector within IBEC, has welcomed the announcement by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, to approve two electronic equipment waste management compliance schemes - WEEE Ireland and European Recycling Platform (ERP).

IRELAND’s hi-tech sector lobbied MEPs in Brussels yesterday asking them to support Europe-wide patenting of computer implemented inventions.

Almost 40% of software installed on Irish computers is counterfeit, according to an organisation representing computer companies worldwide.

The employers' body IBEC has claimed that information and communications technology (ICT) firms have experienced a 20% increase in operating costs over the past three years.

THE cost of doing business in Ireland for technology companies has increased by 20% since 2002, according to study of business costs by industry lobby group ICT Ireland.

A DRAMATIC drop in the number of new start-up software companies is expected after the suspension of the Business Expansion Scheme (BES) and seed capital tax reliefs following the intervention of the European Commission.

THE Irish Software Association (ISA) wants the Government to make a commitment to buy 20% of its technology requirements from small to medium-sized enterprises.

The Irish Software Association has welcomed the Enterprise Ireland Annual Report on its Seed & Venture Capital Programme which will provide funding of €30m to start-up and early stage companies.