Minister for Social Protection Minister Joan Burton has said any possible easing of austerity measures is going to be a roundtable discussion.

The Troika has ordered the Government to prepare State assets for sale and to halt the overspending in health.

A Greek exit from the eurozone would damage confidence in the single currency bloc but not necessarily be fatal, Central Bank chief and European Central Bank policy-maker Patrick Honohan said at the weekend.

The European Commission is forecasting growth of 0.5% for the Irish economy this year, compared with the Government's prediction of 0.7%.

DOWNGRADING of France as a triple A credit rated state can usher in a new phase in the eurozone crisis.

“WE require a head — yours or Harry’s”.

FORMER taoiseach Bertie Ahern has claimed €270,000 in expenses from the state since stepping down in 2008.

Ireland's chances of securing a lower interest rate on our bailout loans have been given a welcome boost, thanks to comments made by the EU economics commissioner Ollie Rehn.

The issue of the interest rate on Ireland's bailout will not feature on the agenda at the EU summit taking place tomorrow and Friday.

IRELAND was firmly taken off the critical list by the EU last night as the final details were agreed to the overall rescue package.

The Government has this evening agreed to enter into a period of intense discussions with the IMF and the European Central Bank to determine if a bailout should be provided to shore up the euro.

EU Commissioner Ollie Rehn has been – he came, he saw and he didn’t quite conquer us but he did tell us €15 billion over four years might not be enough.

The European Commission has offered the Government some flexibility over the €15bn four-year spending cuts target, it was claimed today.

The European Commissioner for Economic Affairs says determined and painful decisions will be needed to solve the economic crisis here but Ireland will prevail if it does what is necessary.

Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghin O Caolain has today EU Economics Commissioner Olli Rehn to go back and tell Europe that Ireland cannot cut its Budget deficit to 3% of GDP by 2014.

FURTHER assurances were offered yesterday that there would be no change in Ireland’s corporation tax rate unless the Government decides so.

JUST as, in another time, Irish republicans regarded England’s moment of difficulty as Ireland’s moment of opportunity there are those in Europe who, it seems, regard our economic collapse as an opportunity to try to force us to change our corporation tax rates.

FINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan has ruled out any increase to Ireland’s corporation tax but confirmed other tax hikes will form part of the next budget.

FINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan has sought to reassure companies that they won’t face higher taxes on their profits despite the state needing to raise more revenue.

The EU Economics Commissioner Ollie Rehn said today that Ireland's days as a low-tax country are over.

TENS of thousands of protesters marched through the Greek capital after parliament approved drastic austerity cuts needed to secure international rescue loans worth €110 billion.

WITH three deaths on the streets of Athens and widespread protests, Europe’s political and economic leaders have moved to try to calm the atmosphere in Greece and prevent a collapse of the euro.

THE worst is over and the Irish economy is recovering was the good news from the EU’s economics chief.

European governments and the International Monetary Fund agreed to pull Greece back from the brink of default with €110bn in emergency loans, provided Athens made painful budget cuts and tax increases.

IRELAND’S contribution to the Greek bailout is expected to increase to €1.3 billion when details of the rescue package are released over the weekend.

US stocks tumbled yesterday and the dollar and Treasuries rose as credit-rating downgrades of Greece and Portugal fuelled concern that debt-laden nations are moving closer to default.

AGREEMENT on the conditions for the €45 billion loan to Greece was just a matter of days away, the European Commission said as several countries turned against Germany and its hard line on the Mediterranean country.

NATIONAL budgets should be peer reviewed by finance ministers from other eurozone countries before they are adopted by national parliaments, according to the European Commission.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen this afternoon joins fellow EU leaders for a summit overshadowed by a slump in the single currency and by rifts over a bail-out for the crisis-hit Greek economy.

A SENSE of panic was beginning to grip Brussels as Greece warned its protesting citizens it was just one step away from being unable to borrow and eurozone members differed on the solution.

Greece was urged today to do more to restore its crisis-hit economy if it wants to qualify for a bail-out from other EU countries.

GREECE came under huge pressure from other eurozone countries in Brussels last night to make further and immediate cuts in government spending.

Top Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect General Ratko Mladic is in Serbia, but he “remains at large,” chief UN war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte said today.

THE European Commission yesterday formally proposed opening membership talks with Turkey on October 3, but acknowledged there are misgivings within the European Union about Turkish membership.