Limerick: The sod was turned on a new €800,000 Community Enterprise Centre at the Kilmallock Business Park yesterday.

The value of goods and services exported by businesses here remained stable between the first two months of this year at just under €7bn euro.

PUBLIC sector workers have accused the Government of “emotional blackmail” over claims that seriously ill patients and the Irish economy will suffer as a direct result of wide-scale industrial action.

IRELAND’s trade surplus jumped by around €800 million to €3.74 billion in September, on the back of exports increasing by 11% on a monthly basis, arresting a two-month slump.

Minister for State Billy Kelleher was in China today for the start of a week-long trade visit involving 13 Irish companies and high-level political and business meettings in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Dalian and Cengdu.

THE first networking event of its kind in this country is expected to provide a massive boost to the Cork economy as it attracts companies from the US, Slovakia and Romania.

Dublin company i-conX Solutions has secured a significant contract with major Russian GSM mobile telecoms operator Tele2 Russia, it was announced today.

IRISH companies will have to work hard to strengthen bonds with their Japanese counterparts if they hope to achieve growth in the years ahead, according to Minister for Trade and Commerce John McGuinness.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen is leading the biggest Irish trade mission to Japan this week.

Minister for Trade and Commerce, John McGuinness TD is to officially open Kilkenny’s newest business district, Danville Business Park today.

THE National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) is targeting the €115 billion medical devices industry with a major investment that will speed up CE marking.

Minister for Trade and Commerce John McGuinness has today welcomed the latest trade figures released by the Central Statistics Office.

The new Minister for Trade and Commerce, John McGuinness embarks on his first overseas' trade mission to the United Arab Emirates today.

ACCA has today warned of a general shortage of accountants in Ireland.

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has today welcomed the move by Minister for Trade and Commerce Michael Ahern to refer the issue of auditor liability to the Company Law Review Group.

A GOVERNMENT minister said yesterday that Justice Minister Michael McDowell’s plans to build a controversial super-prison on Spike Island in Cork Harbour are a mistake.

IRISH Exporters Association president, Joe Lynch said doing business in Britain and the US presented risks to the company’s bottom line because of currency fluctuations.

Minister for Trade and Commerce Michael Ahern said today that he was disappointed that efforts to advance the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations had not been successful.

FEMALE academics who take time out for maternity or parental leave are set to benefit from €4.8 million in funding from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI).

UNIONS at the country’s only remaining sugar factory in Mallow last night accused the Government of pandering to the needs of farmers as the firm closes with the loss of 324 jobs.

Irish companies are now investing as much money abroad as foreign firms plough into Ireland, it emerged today.

Trade statistics released by the CSO today show that exports in January increased by almost 4% in January 2005 over the same month in 2004.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI) has welcomed remarks made yesterday by Minister for Trade and Commerce, Michael Ahern on the requirements for company directors to sign off on compliance statements.

Minister for Trade and Commerce, Michael Ahern today welcomed provisional trade statistics released by the CSO for 2004.

JUNIOR Minister for Trade and Commerce Michael Ahern will head a delegation to Hong Kong later this month to enhance trade ties between Ireland and the region.

The Government has approved the drafting of new legislation in the area of export controls for military goods.

EXPORTS fell dramatically in September, down 11% on the €7,407 million Ireland exported in August of this year, pushing the country’s surplus to €2.3 billion, its lowest level since July 2000.

Minister for Trade and Commerce Michael Ahern today opened the new European Shared Services Centre of Altera European Trading in the Cork Airport Business Park.

Minister for Trade and Commerce Michael Ahern will join Enterprise Ireland representatives today on a visit New York with a group of Irish leading eLearning companies.

Trade figures for January to June this year show an increase in exports and a fall in imports, according to the Central Statistics Office.

The Minister for Trade and Commerce has expressed concern at the European Commission's handling of the introduction of new agreed international standards for accounting.

Minister for Trade and Commerce Michael Ahern, today claimed EC proposals on reforming EU sugar policies threaten more than 1,000 Irish jobs.

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) provided more than two-thirds of total private sector employment in the European Union, an international conference heard today.

The Minister for Trade and Commerce Michael Ahern will open a Conference on the European Charter for Small Enterprises at Dublin Castle tomorrow.

Latest trade figures with non-European Union countries, which saw a 16% increase, have been welcomed by the Minister for Trade and Commerce, Michael Ahern.

The Government has implemented measures to protect the term "Chamber of Commerce" in the national interest.

More than 300,000 people involved in the Irish construction industry have received training over the past five years in basic safety on building sites.

REPRESENTATIVES of the families of Dublin-Monaghan bombing victims yesterday welcomed the support of a former Cabinet Minister for a judicial inquiry into the tragedy.

Irish forestry resources are now producing five million cubic metres of timber annually with significant increases expected over the next twenty years.

Minister for Trade and Commerce, Michael Ahern today urged employers to hire the best candidates for jobs, regardless of their disabilities.

AN enterprise board which has helped directly create and sustain over 900 jobs in ten years has been commended by government.

430 companies and 30 directors were convicted by the Companies Registration Office (CRO) for company law offences last year.

The Minister for Trade and Commerce, Michael Ahern TD, has said a review of Ireland's export controls system for dual use and military goods is progressing.