Prosecutors have dropped the most serious charge brought against businesswoman Deirdre Foley over redundancies at Clerys.

A judge has refused to throw out a criminal prosecution against businesswoman Deirdre Foley who is facing trial over collective redundancies at Clerys department store.

Criminal proceedings have commenced over the handling of collective redundancies at Clerys department store.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan will meet with senior International Monetary Fund and World Bank officials in California today to convince them to encourage US companies to continue investing in Ireland.

The iconic Clerys department store was purchased following a number of secret meetings as part of a plan called ‘Project Clock’, the High Court has heard.

A broader consultation process regarding long-term tax deadlines for small businesses and self-assessed payers, and the removal of late filing penalties, have been called for, in light of the Government postponing — rather than scrapping — proposed changes to the pay-and-file deadlines.

Former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Seán FitzPatrick told the High Court he intended any profits from his £250,000 (€290,000) investment in a London property, funded via an Anglo loan, would give “a lift” and “a chance of money” to a “bright young kid” who joined the bank from school.

A former manager at Anglo Irish Bank is being examined as part of High Court bankruptcy proceedings against Sean FitzPatrick.

The Irish Taxation Institute says a balance needs to be struck when it comes to tax compliance for small businesses.

A new position paper has given an insight to the areas the IMF could target in their proposals to get Ireland's economy back on track.

MEASURES such as tax relief for investors lending to small firms, halving capital gains tax (CGT) to 12.5%, and tax-friendly employee share options could help sustain 620,000 endangered indigenous jobs, says the Irish Taxation Institute (ITI).

PLANNING permission was granted yesterday for a co-located private hospital on the grounds of the Mid-West Regional Hospital in Limerick.

Planning permission has been granted for a 183-bed co-located hospital on grounds leased from Mid-West Regional Hospital in Limerick, private healthcare company Beacon Medical Group (BMG) announced today.

TAX reliefs regarded as “unjustified” by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan will be removed while taxes on deposit accounts are set to increase.

The Irish Taxation Institute (ITI) today called for employers' PRSI to be cut as part of a range of measures it says will help to stimulate the economy.

THE first income tax hike in a quarter of a century will see everyone pay more taxes.

Experts today called on the Government to reform the tax relief system in order to make it easier for workers to get back the millions of euro they are owed.

FINANCE Minister Brian Cowen says Business Expansion Schemes (BES) are necessary if job expansion at small Irish firms is to continue.

CONTRACTS will be signed for the building of 10 new private hospitals on the grounds of public hospitals early next year, Health Minister Mary Harney revealed yesterday.

A world-class private hospital officially opened today will care for public patients regardless of their background or income, it was vowed.

OVER €100 million is lying unclaimed because tax payers are unaware of the full range of tax reliefs.

A PRIVATE hospital is planned for Cork city’s western suburbs as part of a €500 million development.

PAYE taxpayers have been warned not to miss out on millions of euro in tax refunds before the end of the month.

FIVE-YEAR-OLD Lorcan McNamara is one of hundreds of children whose chances of surviving open heart surgery could be maximised with a machine that is available in other countries — but not in Ireland.