Fine Gael’s promise to scrap the hated Universal Social Charge (USC) is “not achievable” within the next five years, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has claimed.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan and his department have said the Brexit impact has been within anticipated limits.

Ireland could end up paying as much as €1bn towards a new bailout for Greece under its international obligations.

Long-serving current and former civil servants who have entered civil partnerships or who plan to get married to their same-sex partner have been refused the right to upgrade their single person’s pension to a spouse and children pension.

The country’s largest trade union has claimed the Central Bank’s plans to require homebuyers to have a 20% deposit in place for a mortgage “will put home ownership beyond the reach of thousands of individuals and couples”.

QUOTE of the week has to go to economist John Fitzgerald who admitted when launching the new ESRI report that: “The one thing that is sure about this latest forecast is that it is wrong.”

A top-level probe into the bank guarantee scheme will not be used as a tool of political revenge, the Government has promised.

A teachers’ leader says schools are already dealing with under-performing teachers and their regulatory body is waiting for Education Minister Ruairi Quinn to give them powers to strike off those who fall short of professional standards.

The charade of the botched government bid to save money by reducing controversial perks and allowances for workers travelling on the public sector gravy train has taken a significant twist with today’s front-page report that thousands of state employees received more than €1bn in overtime and allowances last year.

Efforts to set up a banking inquiry have been stalled after a legal warning to the Government that witnesses at hearings may be “compromised” by public comments they made previously.

Consider yourself stimulated.

Funds allocated for mental health and primary care services will not be raided to cut HSE overspend, the Government has pledged.

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin has accused Sinn Féin of adhering to a "flat earth" policy in relation to the proposed disposal of state assets.

ALL “low hanging fruit” has now been cut from the public service, meaning key services will have to suffer mass staff departures and further funding cuts over the coming months.

Public Enterprise Minister Mary O'Rourke has lost her seat in Westmeath - the first bad news of the day for Fianna Fail.

Public Enterprise Minister Mary O’Rourke is expected to seek permission to give more money to Aer Lingus at a meeting of European transport ministers in Brussels today.

Public Enterprise Minister Mary O’Rourke is to travel to Brussels on Monday to discuss the current crisis in Aer Lingus.