Walt Disney Co fell the most in four years after posting third-quarter sales that fell short of analysts’ estimates and cutting its forecast for cable-TV profit.

A former potato supplier to supermarket giant Tesco has failed to have an action for alleged breach of contract and personal injuries entered into the fast track Commercial Court list.

Peter Clinch, one-time advisor to former taoiseach, Brian Cowen, has been appointed chair of the National Competitiveness Council.

The future of the fiscal treaty was uncertain last night as the French congress will not pass it, and the man tipped to become the next president of France has vowed to renegotiate it.

Business lobby group Ibec warned that today's live register numbers remain exceptionally high.

The troika warned that a financial “bomb” would go off in Dublin, if Anglo senior bondholders were not repaid, a Government minister has said.

THE Government has been urged to reassess its jobs strategy after the unemployment rate rose to 14.4%.

The Government was urged to reassess its jobs strategy after the unemployment rate rose to 14.4%.

UNIONS have called for the Government to increase corporation tax to make international companies contribute more to the crippling economy.

The Irish economy has returned to growth, with both home-grown industry and foreign multi-nationals improving business, official figures have revealed.

THE number of Irish people emigrating soared by 45% in a year with some 40,200 people leaving Irish shores in the year to April.

IRELAND’S unemployment rate continues to edge towards 15% with figures showing the highest number of people signing on the dole since the start of the year.

The latest rise in unemployment proves the Government’s policy of cuts is not working, union leaders have warned.

RISING inflation will put unsustainable pressure on working people and households, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has warned.

CORK men are at significantly greater risk of developing testicular cancer than in any other part of the country due to reasons which may be linked to “industrial pollutants”.

A recent scientific report published in the Irish Journal of Medical Science noted that there was a “remarkable geographical variation” in a nationwide study of the incidences of testicular cancer between 1994 and 2007.

THE cost of living is increasing at its fastest rate in more than two years, with food, clothes, mortgages and rent on the rise.

The number of people signing on for benefits increased by more than 5,700 in the last 12 months, official figures revealed today.

THE ranks of the long-term unemployed have grown to over 140,000, the Irish workforce’s highest ever.

THE decision by the Government to slash pension tax relief as part of the four-year recovery plan has been condemned as unfair and senseless by the Irish Brokers Association.

POLITICAL parties were being “dishonest” by continuing to claim the national deficit could be reduced to 3% of GDP by 2014, a conference of leading international economists at Croke Park was told yesterday.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen has hit back at comments from ICTU’s economic adviser Paul Sweeney suggesting that the cabinet was made up of economic war criminals because of its budgetary policies.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has today hit back at an official from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions for branding the Finance Minister Brian Lenihan an "economic war criminal".

The Irish Congress of Trade Union's economist is accusing the Finance Minister of making serious errors that will cost people dearly.

A two-day conference getting underway in Dublin this morning will hear a range of international economists offer alternatives to the harsh cutbacks due in December's Budget.

THE Irish Congress of Trade Unions is to invest more than €300,000 per year for at least the next five years in a specialist economic unit.

A trade union advisor today warned against the sale of semi-state companies to cover the cost of bank bail-outs.

The number of long-term unemployed more than doubled over the last year, it was revealed today.

TRADE unions have accused the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) of being the “cheerleader for the Government policy” fixated with cutting public service pay.

MIDDLE income families should brace themselves for hefty charges on water, property and universal welfare payments, according to the Government-ordered template for stabilising the tax system.

Union leaders fear a generation could be lost to unemployment as numbers claiming state benefit today soared to more than 400,000 for the first time on record.

Management at DHL Ireland has cleared the way for ICTU economist Paul Sweeney to examine the company's books today.

THE Government’s decision to tap into part of the €18.7 billion National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) to shore up the banking industry has received a guarded welcome.

THE Irish Congress of Trade Unions has issued 10 recommendations to the Government on how to “reverse or soften” the impact of the recent budget cutbacks.

The Government must act urgently to stem growing joblessness as latest figures showed tens of thousands of people joining the dole queue, it was warned today.

THE Government has been told to “drag down” the earnings of Ireland’s millionaire minority whose wages are up to 350 times higher than the shop-floor worker.

The rising cost of health care, education, food and other basic provisions is eroding people’s quality of life, it was warned today.

AS HEALTH Minister Mary Harney prepares to sign off on the first hospital co-location contracts this week, her cabinet colleague Micheál Martin has once again insisted the Cork project is not “sustainable”.

SENIOR medics and management at two leading acute hospitals have united in their opposition to proposals for a new private co-located hospital at Cork University Hospital (CUH).

NOT a ball has been kicked yet but already Fine Gael have cried foul on RTÉ’s coverage of the Republic of Ireland soccer boss.

TWENTY years ago, pensioners on the northside of Cork city offered to contribute 50p a week towards the upkeep of the North Infirmary Hospital in an effort to keep it open.

Kieran Stevenson and Paul Sweeney have been handed starts by Derry manager Sean McCloskey for tomorrow's Nicky Rackard Cup final against Donegal (Croke Park, throw-in 2pm).

Irish workers are losing up to €280 per week in unpaid overtime, it emerged today.

THOUSANDS of hi-tech and specialist jobs could be lost to cheap-labour countries such as India or China, union bosses said yesterday.