Underwriting losses at insurance firm RSA Ireland came in at £107m (€146.9m) last year as the insurer experienced another difficult year in the Irish market.

Three times as many weather-related claims were made by customers of RSA Insurance’s Irish business in the first half of the year than in the same period last year, on a percentage basis.

RSA Insurance Group named Ken Norgrove has chief executive of its Irish unit as the company seeks to recover from a scandal in Ireland that led to a $1.3 billion (€937m) rights issue.

THE Martin Donnelly/Sean Kelly professional cycling team will make its Irish debut in this weekend’s five stage Credit Union Rás Mumhan in Co. Kerry.

KEN NORGROVE recorded the biggest win of his cycling career as he out-paced the field to claim the 121-kilometre Gene Moriarty in Listowel yesterday.