Ireland Breaking News: 2011

Saturday, June 11, 2011

UK investors in bonds battle

By Ben Carter Reporter, Money Box Bank of Ireland (BOI) could face a legal challenge from British investors who face losing 80% of their money. Irish banks are under pressure from the state to raise capital, and bond holders are expected to "burden ...

Friday, June 10, 2011

Brian Lenihan, Ireland's Finance Minister, Dies at 52

By JULIA WERDIGIER LONDON â€" Brian Lenihan, who as Ireland's finance minister led the nation's effort to fend off bankruptcy during the worldwide economic collapse, died on Friday at his home in Dublin. He was 52. The cause was pancreatic cancer, ...

Inflation: Ireland's Greatest Untold Story

By Eamon Quinn In between bailouts, elections and soaring levels of unemployment, high rates of Irish price inflation is the great untold story of Ireland's economic misery. The fact that price pressures are building in an austerity-driven economy ...

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Ireland's household wealth lags behind western European peers

ECONOMICS: IS IRELAND a rich country? It's a more complicated question than it might sound at first hearing. To frame the following analysis, consider two people. The first is a whiz-kid student lured to a high-flying company with the promise of a ...

Address to Northern Ireland Assembly

Prime Minister David Cameron has delivered a speech to the Northern Ireland Assembly during his visit on 9 June 2011. Thank you for your kind invitation to address the Assembly today and for the very generous welcome you have given me. ...

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

ECB's Rulebook Puts Ireland in Same Risk Category as Germany

â€œIt is very, very strange that Ireland and Germany belong to the same risk group in the ECB's collateral framework,â€ said Carsten Brzeski, senior economist at ING Group in Brussels. â€œWhy can such a small rating agency tip the scale? ...

Ireland's Magdalene laundries scandal must be laid to rest

The UN is right: Ireland must investigate Women in one of Ireland's Magdalene laundries in the 1940s. Photograph: Roz Sinclair/Testimony Films The nuns had been dabbling on the stock exchange. The results were unfortunate. ...

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Italy fall to Ireland's friendly fire

In fairness, Paul McShane was seen crossing the half-way line too â€" confirmation that this was definitely a friendly â€" but Ireland were mainly reduced to feeding off scraps, though Seamus Coleman was doing his best to get some forward momentum into ...

Dell's Cloud: Ireland's Silver Lining

By EAMON QUINN DUBLINâ€"Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Tuesday that Dell Inc. will create about 150 research and development and other jobs at centers in Limerick City and Dublin, showing a major investor retains confidence in Ireland despite the ...

Monday, June 6, 2011

Kathy Ireland's latest business: wedding dresses

By Sarah Richards, contributing writer June 6, 2011: 4:42 PM ET NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Swimsuit model-turned-entrepreneur Kathy Ireland is saying ''I do'' to her latest business venture: wedding dresses. Her collection, which features more than 1000 ...

Ireland's Catholics, hard hit by abuse crisis, await Vatican action

By Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY Decades of rampant abuse of thousands of children at the hands of priests and nuns in Ireland... And , yet, according to the Associated Press today, the pope now says it will take months more to decide what actions to ...

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Inspired Keane lifts Ireland's spirits

Macedonia 0 Rep of Ireland 2: THE CENTREPIECE of the pre-match entertainment in the Philip II Arena on Saturday night was a package of highlights, shown on the impressive new stadium's big screens, from the previous meeting in Skopje between these two ...

Ireland defeat Macedonia as Robbie Keane is the hero

Keane insisted victory was everything as Ireland maintained their European Championship push at the top of the Group B table thanks to his two record breaking goals in Skopje on Saturday night. The Irish captain moved two goals clear of Bobby Charlton ...

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Milestone for Keane on fine night for Ireland

By Peter Parker in Skopje On a glorious night for himself and his country Robbie Keane led from the front with both goals as the Republic of Ireland stayed in the race for a place in the European Championship finals with a 2-0 victory over Macedonia in ...

Live: FYR Macedonia v Rep of Ireland

By Tadhg Peavoy 1450 'Having a Macedonia': the turn-of-phrase coined by the Republic of Ireland soccer team to indicate having a nightmare of a match/training session/or just about anything that goes badly. The expression was born from the Republic's ...

Friday, June 3, 2011

Ireland ready to get down to business

A BIBLICAL cloudburst drenched the national stadium here in Skopje yesterday afternoon, but there were no comparable dramatics indoors at the arena as Giovanni Trapattoni and Robbie Keane faced the mics and cameras for Ireland's eve-of-match press ...

Bank of Ireland Rescue Will Hit Both Bond and Share Holders

Bank of Ireland is intent on raising 4.2 billion euros, or $6.1 billion, in fresh capital, the bank said on Friday, announcing plans to issue up to 2.2 billion euros in new stock as it offers to buy back debt using both equity and cash. ...

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Unemployed man touches national nerve, has Ireland seeking work for media ...

â€œSAVE ME FROM EMIGRATION,â€ reads Mac An Iomaire's billboard in the heart of Dublin, the focal point for a novel social media-driven campaign that advertises his 10-month search for work and desire to stay in Ireland. ( Peter Morrison / Associated Press ...

No X Factor auditions in Ireland after Dublin date axed

X Factor officials have confirmed that the popular talent show will not be holding auditions in Ireland this year. The decision has been taken despite one of last year's most successful acts, Mary Byrne, having come through the auditions at Dublin's ...

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Long Range Weather Forecast For Ireland 02 Jun

The northern half to two-thirds of Ireland would then become cloudy with highs near 15 C while the southwest stays partly cloudy with highs 17-20 C. (Morning lows 8-10 C) Some showers are likely by later Monday and into Monday night especially for ...

Ireland must face reality amid euphoria of royal and presidential visits

Working and living in Dublin, and with the "outsider eye" of someone originally from Northern Ireland, it has been astonishing to witness the major events of the last month in the Republic. Over those momentous seven days in May, the country has ...

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

State forces bondholders to share in bank losses

BANK OF Ireland, Irish Life & Permanent and EBS have joined AIB in announcing plans to impose losses of as much as 90 per cent on junior bondholders. Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said the move to â€œburnâ€ the junior, or subordinated, ...

Ireland's Noonan: Bank Bond Plans Advance Burden Sharing Aim

DUBLIN (Dow Jones)--Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan said plans by Bank of Ireland Plc and other stricken lenders will achieve his government's aim of pressing "appropriate" burden sharing on bank bond holders amid Ireland's debt crisis. ...

Monday, May 30, 2011

Sterling ton helps Ireland bounce back a bit

IAIN DOWIE, a former hero around these parts, christened it â€œboucebackabilityâ€, and despite going down to a five-wicket defeat to Pakistan in the second and final RSA series match in Belfast yesterday, Ireland showed plenty of the characteristic as ...

Ireland rules out second bailout; to test market in 2012

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's government moved on Monday to quash speculation it would be forced to seek a second EU-IMF bailout and said it would make a tentative return to international debt markets in the final quarter of next year. ...

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Keane equals record and secures title

NATIONS CUP Rep of Ireland 1 Scotland 0: HANG AROUND with FAI types of a certain vintage for long enough and someone will eventually mention the night when, under Jack Charlton, the Republic of Ireland won a triangular tournament in Iceland and at the ...

Ireland Will Honor Its Sovereign Debts Says Irish Deputy PM

By Eamon Quinn DUBLIN (Dow Jones)--Ireland will "honor" its bailout agreement with the European Union and International Monetary Fund and repay it debts, Irish Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore said Sunday. Gilmore, who is also the Foreign Affairs ...

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Junaid four-for wrecks Ireland

PHOTO: AFP Pakistan's Junaid Khan ensured Ireland came back down to earth after their World Cup exploits as the tourists thrashed Ireland in the rain-affected series-opener by seven wickets. Left-arm paceman Junaid, in only his fifth match at this ...

Republic of Ireland make four changes to line-up

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has made four changes to his starting line-up for Sunday's Nations Cup game against Scotland in Dublin. The Republic boss has indicated he may review his starting side before kick-off at the Aviva Stadium ...

Friday, May 27, 2011

Bank of Ireland Closes In On Bond Holder Offer-Sources

By Eamon Quinn DUBLIN (Dow Jones)--Bank of Ireland PLC, one of Ireland's last surviving major lenders, will in the coming days present the results of a plan--driven by the Irish government--to persuade bond holders to accept big discounts on EUR2.75 ...

President Obama and Ireland - a love story

Unfortunately they were almost identical to the words Obama himself used after beating John McCain in November 2008, with references to â€œAmericaâ€ crudely scribbled out and replaced with â€œIrelandâ€. Enda claims the whole thing was a deliberate homage, ...

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Enda Kenny in Dublin cash pledge to build Â£850m road

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has publicly pledged to spend hundreds of millions of pounds to build a controversial road in Northern Ireland. There have been more than 2400 objections to the planned Â£850m A5 road from Londonderry to Aughnacloy, ...

Bank of Ireland Said to Near Subordinated Debt-For-Equity Offer

By Joe Brennan - Thu May 26 14:14:35 GMT 2011 Bank of Ireland Plc is close to completing an offer that allows junior bondholders to swap their debt for equity in the lender, according to two people familiar with the progress of the negotiations on the ...

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Taoiseach insists Ireland will not seek to restructure debt

Ireland received an â‚¬85 billion EU-IMF bailout in November, making it the second euro zone country nation to get aid after Greece. The Government is in negotiations to secure a lower interest rate on the EU portion of the loan. The Government's bid for ...

Presidential visit a cause for celebration

BARACK OBAMA is the sixth US President to visit Ireland, and as with Kennedy, Nixon, Reagan, Clinton and Bush, President Obama can lay claim to Irish roots. The President's Irish visit was multifaceted: it was a small strand in a much bigger European ...

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

After the Queen's visit to Ireland

Your supplement (Queen Elizabeth in Ireland, May 21st) was brilliant. I've just seen the Obama supplement (May 24th) and it's equally wonderful. â€" Yours, etc, Much of the commentary concerning the visit suggested that it was a sign of our maturity and ...

Obama assures the people of Ireland that â€œthe best is yet to comeâ€

Ireland's â€œbest days are yet to come,â€ was the message US President Barack Obama had for the Irish public yesterday. Delivering a moving speech to the crowd of 40000 people gathered in College Green on Monday, Obama urged Irish people to take ...

Monday, May 23, 2011

'Ireland carries a blood link with us', says Obama

â€œIreland carries a blood link with us,â€ he said. â€œAnd for the millions of Irish Americans, this continues to symbolise the homeland and the extraordinary traditions of an extraordinary people.â€ Though US officials will not comment on a domestic ...

Moneygall, Ireland, Obama's ancestral home, preps for POTUS visit; tiny town ...

BY Philip Caulfield Locals in President Obama's ancestral home in Ireland are finally getting a chance to raise a pint to their favorite son. Moneygall, a tiny farming hamlet between Dublin and Limerick where Obama's great-great-great grandfather was ...

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Ireland's debt crisis, austerity offer a lesson for Obama

By Richard Wolf, USA TODAY DUBLIN â€" The Ireland that President Obama visits for the first time today is down on its luck â€" and therein lies a lesson for the United States. By Peter Morrison, AP A participant in a Sinn Fein protest in December outside ...

WEATHER ALERT Storm Udo Bears Down On Ireland

A potent storm centre (named 'Storm Udo') of around 980 hPa will develop and pass to the north of Ireland, bringing with it extremely strong winds and heavy rain, most severe in northern and western parts. Sustained winds of up to Storm Force 10, ...

Saturday, May 21, 2011

A week when Britain and Ireland grew up

She broke both rules in Ireland last week. Most of us had expected a bland occasion whose significance lay simply in the fact that it was happening at all. What we got was both challenging and moving. The risks the Queen took were not physical. ...

Obama in Europe: tending to old friends, new global problems and ancestral ...

Obama, who departs late Sunday, will visit Ireland, England, France and Poland. Each is weathering an economic downturn that has forced European nations to adopt strict austerity measures. The US has pushed its national debt to the limit, and Obama and ...

Friday, May 20, 2011

British-Irish relations: A royal stamp of approval

Queen Elizabeth II's trip to Ireland this week showcased a remarkable rapprochement between Britain and a nation that was once its colonial possession. A spectator reaches out to greet Britain's Queen Elizabeth II after she visited the English Market ...

IMF calls for Europe to do more to help Ireland

By Carmel Crimmins and Padraic Halpin DUBLIN, May 20 (Reuters) - A more comprehensive European approach to dealing with the region's debt crisis is needed to help Ireland regain access to debt markets, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on ...

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Queen wraps up Ireland visit hailed as a success

DUBLIN: Britain's Queen Elizabeth II was on Friday wrapping up her landmark four-day state visit to Ireland, which analysts said had exceeded expectations and put Anglo-Irish relations on a revitalised footing. The sovereign was to visit a medieval ...

Ireland's bad bank eyes ways to stoke property sales

By Padraic Halpin DUBLIN, May 19 (Reuters) - Ireland's state-run "bad bank" said it hopes to unveil a product to stoke residential property sales as lenders warned of weak loan demand on Thursday and the number of Irish residential mortgages in arrears ...

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

A quiet atonement for Britain's role in years of violence in Ireland

That event, an act of revenge after Irish independence fighters killed 14 British officers that morning, led to even bloodier violence on a day that would become one of Ireland's Bloody Sundays, and set the tone for seven decades of violence. ...

Queen to honour Croke Park victims

By John Murray Brown in Dublin Queen Elizabeth was set to mark the second day of her historic state visit to Ireland on Wednesday by going to a Gaelic football stadium where 14 Irish civilians were killed by British police during the war of ...

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

One small step for a monarch...

The plane touched down at noon, its royal standard fluttering in the breeze, signalling the first visit to Ireland by a reigning British monarch since George V in 1911. The Queen's four-day mission, as agreed after meticulous discussions, ...

British queen makes historic peace trip to Ireland

The queen arrived 100 years after her grandfather George V visited Dublin and an Ireland that was still part of the British Empire. Police officers stand outside Dublin Castle on the eve of a historic trip by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. ...

Monday, May 16, 2011

CSM: How will Ireland greet Queen Elizabeth?

Bitain's Queen Elizabeth will make a four day state visit to Ireland on Tuesday which is the first state visit by a British monarch since Ireland's independence. DUBLIN, Ireland â€" On May 17, Queen Elizabeth II will become the first British monarch to ...

'Republican' bomb threat on eve of Queen's visit to Ireland

Photo: Reuters LONDON: Police received a bomb threat for central London from Irish republican paramilitaries, a day before a historic visit by the Queen to Ireland, Scotland Yard said. ''A bomb threat warning has been received relating to central ...

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Bombing families appeal to Queen

Bereaved relatives and survivors of bombings in Dublin and Monaghan in the 1970s have written an open letter to the Queen ahead of her Ireland visit. Campaign group Justice For The Forgotten believes the blasts were carried out by loyalist ...

Ireland Steels Itself For A Visit From The Queen

12:00 pm ET Queen Elizabeth pays a state visit to the Republic of Ireland this week. The four-day trip is the first by a British Monarch in 100 years. Relations between the two nations have been tense since the Republic's 1921 independence and ...

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Tomblin Maloney win in W Va

Wealthy drilling executive Bill Maloney capsized establishment favorite Betty Ireland for the Republican nomination, the most substantial signal to date that the tea party movement continues to resonate six months after its historical midterm victories ...

Ireland and the Empire: Divided by a shared history

By Fergal Keane The Queen's visit to Ireland will not only highlight the historical divisions between the UK and the Republic, it will also bring to mind the days when troops from both sides fought for the British Empire in African battlefields . ...

Friday, May 13, 2011

Security tight for queen's Ireland visit

By Peter Taggart, For CNN (CNN) -- The biggest security operation ever seen in Ireland is being put in place ahead of Queen Elizabeth's visit next week. More than 6000 Irish police officers and Defence Forces troops -- army, navy and air corps -- will ...

Ireland arrests dissidents before queen, Obama visits

The arrests come as Ireland prepares to roll out a major security operation for the first visit by a British monarch since independence, followed by Obama's trip to see his Irish roots. Police said that as part of an investigation of "threats to kill ...

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Catholic-Protestant leaders reappointed in Belfast

| AP DUBLIN â€" The Catholic and Protestant leaders of Northern Ireland's government have been appointed for new terms and plan to form a Cabinet next week. The peacemaking coalition led by First Minister Peter Robinson, a Protestant, and Deputy First ...

Now visit UK, and travel to Ireland without visa

PTI | May 12, 2011, 07.02pm IST LONDON: Indians visiting Britain on tourist visas will soon be able to visit neighbouring Ireland without a visa, under a visa waiver programme announced in Dublin. The waiver programme will run from 1 July until October ...

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Q&A With Jedward, Ireland's Eurovision 2011 Contestants

Since then the blond-quiffed twins have been rebranded as 'Jedward,' raked in millions of dollars and won the right to represent Ireland at Eurovision 2011 with their song "Lipstick." John and Edward spoke with me ahead of Eurovision about their hair, ...

Ireland says faster cutbacks would damage society

DUBLIN, May 11 (Reuters) - Accelerating cutbacks and tax increases could damage Ireland's economy and society, a senior government minister said on Wednesday after a thinktank called on Dublin to ramp up its efforts to reduce its deficit. ...

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Rehn says he expects rate cut for Ireland 'shortly'

OLLI REHN, EU economic affairs commissioner, said he expects a reduction in the rate of interest Ireland is charged for the EU element of the joint bailout with the IMF to be agreed â€œshortlyâ€. He rejected arguments of a â€œmoral hazardâ€ (lack of ...

Woman arrested over N. Ireland policeman murder

BELFAST, United Kingdom â€" Police on Tuesday arrested a woman in connection with the car bomb murder of a Catholic police officer in Northern Ireland last month, the fourth person detained in the investigation. "Detectives investigating the murder of ...

Monday, May 9, 2011

DÃ¡il told of support from EU for rate cut for Ireland

THE EUROPEAN commissioner for innovation has said there is strong support from the commission for a reduction in the interest rates Ireland pays for its EU loans. MÃ¡ire Geoghegan-Quinn also stressed that Ireland's corporation tax rate could only be ...

Alkermes to acquire Elan unit in $960 million deal

US drugmaker Alkermes Inc. is acquiring the drug-delivery division of Elan Corp. and move its headquarters from Massachusetts to Ireland, the two companies announced Monday in a deal worth $960 million. They both said the deal, in the works for at ...

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Honohan: I did not betray the state over bailout

Hitting back at stinging criticism from leading economist Morgan Kelly, the finance chief said he wanted to "nail" the claim he was not "playing for Ireland" due to his dual role on the ruling council of the European Central Bank. ...

Morgan Kelly On How Ireland Can Save Itself From Bankruptcy

Ireland can save itself from bankruptcy by abandoning its banks and balancing its budget, according to University College Dublin economist Morgan Kelly. Kelly argues in The Irish Times that Ireland's ballooning deficit is the result of its banking ...

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Election ends with Kerr tribute

The Northern Ireland Assembly election, which reinforced the dominance of the DUP and Sinn Fein, has ended with a poignant tribute to the young policeman who was murdered as the campaign got under way. Democratic Unionist leader Peter Robinson ...

Republic of Ireland to get 'EU loan rate reduction'

By Joe Lynam BBC News Ireland is to get an interest rate cut on the emergency loans it has acquired from EU bodies, the BBC has learned. Currently, Ireland pays an average rate of 5.8% on loans agreed with the IMF, fellow Eurozone countries and a ...

Friday, May 6, 2011

N. Ireland Assembly vote changes little

BELFAST, Northern Ireland, May 6 (UPI) -- The two largest parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly picked up seats in Friday's vote count. Some of the results from Thursday's election were still unclear at midnight, the Belfast Telegraph reported. ...

Low unionist turnout expected in Northern Ireland elections, says SDLP

Photograph: Peter Morrison/AP Voter turnout in Northern Ireland will be higher in nationalist areas than in unionist strongholds, the nationalist SDLP has predicted. A party spokesman attending the main count in Belfast told the Guardian that in ...

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Bailout chief says Portugal's terms are as onerous as Ireland's

THE EUROPEAN Commission's chief negotiator of Portugal's â‚¬78 billion bailout has questioned claims by caretaker premier JosÃ© Socrates that the package will be less onerous than the rescue plans for Ireland and Greece. â€œThe programme is by no means ...

Will Portuguese Bailout Unravel the EU?

Though Portugal's financial woes are not identical to those of Greece and Ireland, or the other European nations, all these EU member states suffer from government overspending, playing fast and loose with public debt, overly rosy economic analyses, ...

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Latest bailout rate may aid Ireland's case for a cut

THE INTEREST charge on Portugal's â‚¬78 billion bailout may not be known until European finance ministers sign off on the deal the week after next, but all signs point to a lower rate than on Ireland's loans. While that would boost the Government's case ...

ECB Distracts Euro From Portugal's Problems

By Nicholas Hastings Here is the third euro-zone country to succumb to the sovereign debt crisis after Ireland and Greece. And here is more evidence that the divergence between the core and the peripheral members of this unholy union of economies is ...

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Augusta fades, not McIlroy

It was about 11 pm Sunday evening, and Rory McIlroy was with three mates from Northern Ireland at a rented house not far from Augusta National, having had dinner and a couple of beers. Earlier in the day, McIlroy had walked onto Augusta National's 10th ...

Wildfires hit the Highlands, Ireland and north-west England

Photograph: Willie Fraser/National Trust For/PA Wild heathland fires are raging across parts of the Scottish Highlands, Ireland and north-west England after the record-breaking dry spell of last month, with flames being fanned by high winds over the ...

Monday, May 2, 2011

Fire Service swamped with phone calls after gorse fires in Northern Ireland

A sudden surge of gorse fires taking place in areas across Northern Ireland have put the Fire Service under a tremendous strain as the public have inundated them with phone calls reporting new incidents. Although the cause of the fires as yet has not ...

Ireland: Fins not 'desperate' for QB before draft

Jeff Ireland made it seem like the 'Fins weren't "desperate" for a signal caller. "I think we'll have to look in free agency if we're going to do that," Ireland said, per Andrew Carter of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "Certainly we'll look at all the ...

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Fires sweep Northern Ireland countryside

By Lindsay Fergus Embattled firefighters have had to deal with more than 1100 gorse fires in Northern Ireland in the last two weeks â€" a staggering 97% of which have been started deliberately. Over the weekend Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service ...

Ireland's First Draft

It marked the first draft run entirely by Dolphins' GM Jeff Ireland and while it is far from being a successful one or a failure, in some ways it was still Bill Parcells and in other ways it was as far from BP as you could get. ...

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland: 'We got a lot better today'

"Well today I thought we got a lot better today. I'll start off just kind of going over the playersâ€¦first and foremost we picked up Edmond Gates from Abilene-Christian. Obviously everything has been said about this kid, he's got a lot of speed. ...

Ireland Cuts GDP Forecasts; Says Still On Target For 2015

Still, the ministry said the budget deficit would be reduced to below 3% of GDP by the end of 2015, as required by the terms of the deal Ireland struck last November for EUR67.5 billion in bailout loans with the EU and the International Monetary Fund. ...

Friday, April 29, 2011

Ireland Cuts GDP Forecasts; Says Still On Target For 2015

Ireland Will Not Be Bullied In Securing Better Bailout-Minister

DUBLIN (Dow Jones)--Ireland will "not be bullied" and will not raise its competitive corporation tax in continuing negotiations for a better deal on the country's bailout loans, a junior minister in the finance ministry said Friday. ...

Thursday, April 28, 2011

This is Miami Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland's chance to find a QB

In a rare year where as many as six quarterbacks are discussed as first-rounders, General Manager Jeff Ireland's job is to do what's best for this franchise and find who is franchise-worthy. Do the homework. Study the names. Interview the candidates. ...

Calf injury ends Ireland's season and Magpies stay

By Aidan Fitzmaurice STEPHEN Ireland's season is over after playing just two games for Newcastle United, writes Aidan Fitzmaurice. The 24-year-old joined Newcastle on loan from Aston Villa in January after falling out of favour with Gerard Houllier and ...

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Miami Dolphins' Jeff Ireland is game for 'anything'

All options are open to Fins GM Jeff Ireland with the No. 15 pick, including trading down like last year. By Jeff Darlington It was two hours before last year's NFL Draft when the circumstances changed. Lacking a second-round pick, the Dolphins wanted ...

Real IRA Warns Queen Elizabeth Against Visiting Ireland

By MEGAN CHUCHMACH An Irish Republican Army splinter group condemned next month's visit to Ireland by Queen Elizabeth II, April 25, 2011. ABC News A splinter IRA group has issued a warning in advance of Queen Elizabeth's upcoming visit to Ireland, ...

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Tomblin, Ireland leading in new poll; opponents question accuracy

Going into the May 14 special gubernatorial primary election, Earl Ray Tomblin and Betty Ireland hold double-digit leads over their opponents, according to the latest Public Policy Polling poll, released Tuesday. Both presumptive front-runners touted ...

Even Ireland beats Greece in debt struggle

By Conor Humphries DUBLIN â€" Growing speculation about a Greek sovereign debt restructuring is raising tough questions about the sustainability of Ireland's debt, but Dublin still has time to convince investors that it won't be next in line. ...

Monday, April 25, 2011

Northern Ireland on alert for royal wedding attack

By Emma Alberici and Rachael Brown Britain's intelligence service is warning that Irish terrorists are "highly likely" to try to stage an attack in Northern Ireland to coincide with Friday's royal wedding. Authorities believe a bomb is most likely to ...

Ex-Finance Min: Irish Troika Ruled Out Burden Sharing--Report

DUBLIN (Dow Jones)--Ireland's troika of international lenders--the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank--ruled out imposing losses on holders of senior debt in Irish banks during the country's bailout talks, ...

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Three in court after NI arms find

Three men are due to appear in court to face a series of charges linked to a cache of suspected dissident republican firearms recovered in Northern Ireland. The accused - aged 34, 35 and 39 - were arrested on Friday after police stopped a vehicle in ...

Weapons caches, bomb-making equipment found in Northern Ireland

London - Police in Northern Ireland on Sunday said they found bomb-making equipment in south Armagh. The discovery on Saturday night came after several weapons caches belonging to suspected dissident republican groups were uncovered in the county. ...

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Northern Ireland Man Charged on Terrorism Offenses, RTE Reports

By Joe Brennan - Sat Apr 23 17:22:28 GMT 2011 A man from Northern Ireland was charged and appeared in court today in relation to a number of terrorism offenses, including possessing firearms and explosives, Dublin-based broadcaster RTE reported. ...

Northern Ireland police make terrorism arrest

The Police Service of Northern Ireland warns that terrorist groups could be intent on trying to murder more officers. Photograph: Peter Muhly/AFP/Getty Images Police in Northern Ireland have arrested a man in connection with loyalist terrorist activity ...

Friday, April 22, 2011

Dublin's hunger can tilt the balance

After an entertaining Allianz National Football League, two of the prime contenders for the summer's All-Ireland football championship meet in Croke Park. Cork have played throughout the spring with the self-containment that comes with winning an ...

Is picking Alabama RB Mark Ingram too obvious for the Miami Dolphins?

Miami Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland doesn't make too many definitive (or forthcoming) statements when it comes to draft strategy, so, unlike some others in the media, I took it with a grain of salt when he downplayed the whole â€œWait on a ...

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Miami for Mallett? Arkansas QB makes believer of Dolphins

Jeff Ireland might, too. The Dolphins' general manager acknowledged Thursday that he has "spent a lot of time" with Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, who comes with a big throwing arm but big off-the-field questions. "I went there to visit with him. ...

Ireland says state asset sales unlikely this year

I) and parts of energy utilities Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and Bord Gais as part of asset sale pledges made under Ireland's EU/IMF bailout. The independent report went further than the government's existing pledges to raise around 2 billion euros ...

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Explosive device hurled at officers in Craigavon

An improvised explosive device has been thrown at a police foot patrol in Northern Ireland. None of the officers were injured in the Meadowbrook area of Craigavon, Co Armagh, on Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, a small but viable pipe bomb has been ...

Ireland Should Sale of Parts of ESB, Bord Gais, Report Says

By Joe Brennan - Wed Apr 20 13:00:02 GMT 2011 Ireland should sell parts of state- owned utility companies Electricity Supply Board and Bord Gais to help it cut mounting debt, according to a government- commissioned report. ...

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

CIARÃN HANCOCK, Business Affairs Correspondent

LAX OVERSIGHT by regulators and the government, flawed lending decisions by the banks and an â€œunquestioning consensusâ€ regarding a likely soft landing in the property market were the main reasons behind the collapse of Ireland's financial sector, ...

N.Ireland police 'targeted by booby-trap bomb'

BELFAST â€" Police officers were lured to a booby-trap bomb by a bogus emergency call-out in Northern Ireland, the latest in a series of security alerts in the British province, police said on Tuesday. A man called police just before midnight on Monday ...

Monday, April 18, 2011

Queen's Irish trip ends 'years of division': Irish PM

LONDON â€" Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Ireland next month will symbolise an "end to years of division", Irish leader Enda Kenny said Monday as he met with British counterpart David Cameron in London. Kenny did not reveal whether the queen would ...

Kenny Says Ireland Will Not Default as Greece Concerns Mount

He also said that an increase in Ireland's 12.5 percent corporation-tax rate to appease fellow EU leaders is â€œnot up for negotiation.â€ Ireland's government last month pledged to inject additional capital of as much as 24 billion euros ($34 billion) ...

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Ireland Rating Downgrade Reflects Bank Restructure--Minister

DUBLIN (Dow Jones)--A downgrade of Ireland's sovereign debt rating reflected the necessary actions being taken in restructuring Irish banks, a senior Irish government minister said Saturday. Pat Rabbitte, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural ...

HBO's new series 'Game of Thrones' filmed in Northern Ireland

'Game of Thrones,' HBO's new epic fantasy series premiering Sunday night, promises a stellar cast and stunning scenery, much of which was filmed in Northern Ireland. The pilot alone cost an estimated $15 million to film, making it one of the most ...

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Spain's Fiscal Position Shows Improvement, Reynders Says

By Meera Louis - Sat Apr 16 21:01:19 GMT 2011 Belgian Finance Minister Didier Reynders said Spain's fiscal position has improved and that he doesn't see an immediate need for a â€œsolutionâ€ in countries besides Greece, Ireland and Portugal. ...

Moody's cuts Ireland rating to 1 grade above junk

Moody's has cut Ireland's credit rating to Baa3, one level above junk, and says the nation could struggle to cut its deficit because of weak economic growth. Moody's issued its latest downgrade hours ahead of the Irish government's announcement of a ...

Friday, April 15, 2011

Technocrats pile praise on Ireland in carefully managed show of unity

THE NEW Government has taken â€œfull ownershipâ€ of the bailout, the EU-IMF troika declared yesterday at the conclusion of the first review of Ireland's rescue package. But apart from the troika's acquiescence in the Coalition's reversal of the previous ...

Moody's Downgrades Ireland To Baa3; Outlook Negative

By Mark Brown and Martin Vaughan LONDON (Dow Jones)--Moody's Investors Service downgraded Ireland's government debt by two notches Friday, taking the country to the brink of junk status, and kept its outlook negative. The agency, cutting Ireland's bond ...

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Ireland says passes IMF/EU test, Fitch upbeat

By Conor Humphries DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland on Thursday said it had passed a crunch review of its economic progress by its creditors without any penalty and ratings agency Fitch upgraded its outlook in some rare good news for the debt-ridden country. ...

Markets Unsettled as Greece's Borrowing Costs Surge

Greece's borrowing costs, along with those of Ireland, Portugal and Spain, soared after Germany said for the first time that Athens may need to restructure its debt, a move one central banker warned would be a catastrophe. Growing talk of restructuring ...

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Strong Currency Threatens Ireland, Portugal

Seen as among the most vulnerable to the rising euro are Ireland, which has heavy exposure to trade outside the euro zone, and Portugal, which exports low-value, labor-intensive products such as textiles. That could widen an already large gap between ...

IMF sees no restructuring in Ireland, Greece

WASHINGTON, April 13 (Reuters) - Bailouts for Ireland and Greece do not envision restructuring of the countries' elevated debt loads, a top International Monetary Fund official said on Wednesday. "These programs have been built on the assumption that ...

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Portugal's Unnecessary Bailout

The crisis that began with the bailouts of Greece and Ireland last year has taken an ugly turn. However, this third national request for a bailout is not really about debt. Portugal had strong economic performance in the 1990s and was managing its ...

Ireland Bond Rally Masks Troubles

By MARK BROWN And NEELABH CHATURVEDI LONDONâ€"Investor relief at the conclusion of Ireland's bank stress tests, and optimism that the country can grow its way out of its debt crisis, has led to a strong rally in Irish government bonds. ...

Monday, April 11, 2011

Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish May Show Halt in Cash Flight

By Finbarr Flynn and Joe Brennan - Mon Apr 11 17:11:38 GMT 2011 Bank of Ireland Plc and Allied Irish Banks Plc (ALBK), the republic's two largest banks, will this week show if regulators are succeeding in staunching the outflow of deposits triggered by ...

IMF cuts growth forecast for Ireland to 0.5%

The International Monetary Fund has reduced its growth forecast for Ireland and now estimates growth this year will be 0.5%. The International Monetary Fund has reduced its growth forecast for Ireland and now estimates growth this year will be 0.5%. ...

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish May Show Halt in Deposits Flight

By Finbarr Flynn and Joe Brennan - Sun Apr 10 23:01:00 GMT 2011 Bank of Ireland Plc and Allied Irish Banks Plc (ALBK), the Republic's two largest banks, will this week show if regulators are succeeding in staunching the outflow of deposits triggered by ...

Germans threaten Ireland over increase in corporation tax rate

Germany's Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has demanded that Ireland increase its corporate tax rates before any reduction in the interested charged on the bail-out will be considered. The threat was made in the Hungarian capital of Budapest where ...

Saturday, April 9, 2011

A murder, a shared sorrow and hope for a new Ireland

At some of the most obscene moments of the Northern Ireland conflict, rituals of mourning morphed directly into scenes of murder and mayhem. It is this dark history that made the funeral of the murdered policeman Ronan Kerr last Wednesday so moving and ...

Northern Ireland police defuse huge bomb

By the CNN Wire Staff Belfast, Northern Ireland (CNN) -- Authorities in Northern Ireland on Saturday defused a bomb packed into a bin containing 500 pounds of homemade explosives, police said. The bin was located in a van abandoned outside Newry, ...

Friday, April 8, 2011

In Portugal Crisis, Worries on Europe's 'Debt Trap'

Portugal now follows Greece and Ireland to the European welfare office to ask for new loans on the condition of ever more drastic spending cuts. So far the markets have taken Europe's third successive sovereign financial crisis in stride. ...

Ireland not part of Portugal fund

IRELAND will not be contributing to the bailout fund for Portugal as moves are made by the EU and IMF to tie into a bailout agreement with opposition parties in the struggling nation. Ireland contributed towards the Greek bailout, but that was before ...

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Now Ireland and Greece have to bail out Portugal. Britain must refuse to join ...

By Daniel Hannan Politics Last updated: April 8th, 2011 Imagine you were a Greek taxpayer. No, alright, bad example: lots of Greeks avoid tax, which is one of the reasons they are in their present mess. Imagine, then, that you were an Irish taxpayer. ...

Will Propping Up Portugal Halt Spread of Insolvency in Europe?

ATHENS, Greece -- Following Greece and Ireland, Portugal, too, has requested a bailout from its European peers. But will Spain, a larger economy with stronger significance to global finance, follow? And more important, has European aid done anything to ...

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

UK bailout bill 'may reach Â£3bn'

Trouble loomed as soon as the Lisbon government's austerity plans collapsed last month, triggering speculation that a bailout similar to that given to Greece and Ireland would be inevitable. But Portugal was told to try again to get an austerity ...

Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Halt Deposit Exodus, Noonan Says

By Finbarr Flynn and Scott Hamilton - Wed Apr 06 12:08:15 GMT 2011 Bank of Ireland Plc and Allied Irish Banks Plc (ALBK), Ireland's two biggest banks, saw their deposits rebound â€œsignificantlyâ€ after the government's stress tests last week, ...

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Cut in bailout debt rate fair and vital for sustainability, says Barroso

JOSÃ‰ MANUEL Barroso, president of the European Commission, said yesterday reducing the bailout debt rate for Ireland and Greece was not only fair but would assure sustainability of the debt. Costs which would be â€œvery, very difficult for our Greek or ...

Monday, April 4, 2011

Bank of Ireland to sell Burdale and overseas finance units

BANK OF Ireland plans to sell its UK asset-based lender Burdale Financial and its global project finance units in the UK and internationally, to help raise capital as it tries to avoid Government control. The bank purchased Burdale in January 2005 for ...

Moody's warns of downgrade risk

The â‚¬24 billion bank recapitalisation plan is positive for Ireland's financial system but negative for its creditworthiness, credit rating agency Moody's said today, highlighting the possibility of another downgrade. Moody's warning comes on the heels ...

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Experts examine car bomb scene

Police in Northern Ireland are combing the scene of an explosion that killed a Catholic officer to find out how the dissident republican bomb was made. Experts are gathering tiny shards of evidence from the site of the blast in Omagh, Co Tyrone, ...

Ireland to Push for Better Bailout Terms

By EAMON QUINN DUBLIN--Ireland will launch a "coordinated diplomatic drive" with the European Union for a better deal on its international bailout package, Irish Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore said Sunday, but without specifying what savings he ...

Saturday, April 2, 2011

US condemns murder of policeman in Northern Ireland

Washington - The US government Saturday condemned as 'appalling' the murder of a Northern Ireland policeman in a terrorist attack. A police officer from the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) stands near the scene where a 25-year-old police ...

Irish and Greek debts sustainable: EU rescue fund chief

DUBLIN (Reuters) - European authorities and the International Monetary Fund believe Ireland and Greece can sustain their debts while it is up to Portugal whether it joins them in seeking help, the head of Europe's rescue fund said. ...

Friday, April 1, 2011

Europe Stocks Climb as US Payrolls Rise; Bank of Ireland Jumps

By Giles Broom - Fri Apr 01 16:04:06 GMT 2011 European stocks rose to a three-week high as the US economy added more jobs than forecast and banks rallied after Ireland said it won't force losses on senior bondholders following stress tests on its ...

Europe Stocks Climb as US Payrolls Rise; Bank of Ireland Jumps

Bank of Ireland Plc surged 41 percent as it outlined plans to avoid state control after being ordered to raise 5.2 billion euros ($7.4 billion) of capital following a stress test. Barclays Plc climbed 4.4 percent as Ireland ruled out forcing ...

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Setbacks in Portugal and Ireland Renew Worry on Debt Crisis

Allied Irish Bank is one of several prominent financial institutions in Ireland in need of a rescue. By LANDON THOMAS Jr. LONDON â€" A higher-than-expected budget deficit in Portugal and the need for more money to rescue Ireland's failing banks have ...

US stock markets mixed as Ireland bank tests loom

NEW YORK - US STOCK markets were mixed early on Thursday, as traders anxiously awaited the results of pending stress tests from Ireland's banking sector. 'The US equity markets are under some pressure in early action as European stocks are being bogged ...

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Ireland Faces 'Balancing Act' as Stress Tests to Trigger More Bank Rescues

By Dara Doyle - Wed Mar 30 23:01:00 GMT 2011 March 30 (Bloomberg) -- Jim Power, chief economist at Friends First in Dublin, talks about the outlook for Ireland's bank stress tests. The government, which already controls 36 percent of Bank of Ireland, ...

Ireland plans "credible" bank system after tests

European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet (R) talks with Ireland's Finance Minister Michael Noonan (C) and Greece's Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou at the start of an Eurogroup finance ministers meeting at the European Union council ...

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Northern Ireland v Slovenia: Worthington draws some comfort

By Graham Luney Northern Ireland 0 Slovenia 0: No Maik Taylor, no Aaron Hughes, no Steven Davis, no Kyle Lafferty, no David Healy, very little hope. Or at least, that's what the critics thought as they prepared to pick over the wreckage of another hard ...

Portugal Bank CEO Slams S&P Rating Downgrade

Standard & Poor's downgrade of Portugal's five largest banks is wrong and mistakenly lumps Portugal with Greece, Ireland and Spain, the CEO of one of the banks told CNBC Tuesday. â€œOur economy is completely different. We cannot compare it with Greece or ...

Read more at: http://www.cnbc.com/id/42319528

Monday, March 28, 2011

British apologize for '76 killing of Catholic girl

DUBLIN (AP) â€" The family of a 12-year-old Catholic girl fatally shot in the back by a British Army soldier 35 years ago received a face-to-face apology Monday from Britain's senior government official in Northern Ireland. ...

Kelly gets Ireland captaincy

DUBLIN â€" Fulham defender Stephen Kelly will captain the Republic of Ireland in Tuesday's friendly here against Uruguay, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) confirmed on Monday. The 27-year-old will take over the armband from Robbie Keane who has ...

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Ireland Seeking Longer-Term ECB Financing For Its Banks: FT

PARIS (MNI) - The new government of Ireland is hoping to secure special medium-term financing from the European Central Bank in order to overcome its banking crisis, the Financial Times reported over the weekend. Citing Irish radio, the FT reported ...

Ireland wants bank bondholders to share the pain

By Carmel Crimmins DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's government wants to impose losses on some senior bondholders in Irish lenders to reduce the burden on taxpayers from a prolonged banking crisis, a senior minister said on Sunday. ...

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Ireland striker Doyle could miss rest of league season

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Kevin Doyle may miss the rest of the Premier League season after injuring his knee in Ireland's 2-1 win over Macedonia in Euro 2012 qualifying on Saturday, said coach Giovanni Trapattoni. ...

Serbia's Marko Pantelic Praises Side's Spirit To Defeat Northern Ireland

Marko Pantelic was full of praise for his team-mates after Serbia came from a goal down to earn a crucial 2-1 victory over Northern Ireland... By Luke Matthews Experienced striker Marko Pantelic was full of praise for the spirit shown by Serbia, ...

Friday, March 25, 2011

ECB plans emergency â‚¬60bn scheme for Irish banks

THE EUROPEAN Central Bank (ECB) is working on an emergency plan to deepen its support for Ireland's ailing financial system with a new scheme to provide banks with more than â‚¬60 billion in medium-term â€œliquidityâ€ loans. The initiative, which is being ...

France raises pressure on Ireland to raise corporation tax

Christine Legarde, the French finance minister, has ratcheted up pressure on Ireland to give up its low corporate tax rate. Christine Lagarde said eurozone members 'closed ranks' to help Ireland and should not be undercut by its corporate tax rate. ...

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Some Weigh Restructuring Portugal's Debt

Those are the interest rates currently paid on 10-year government bonds for Greece, Ireland and Portugal. That they remain so high â€" compared with just 3.24 percent on German bonds â€" shows that investors remain unconvinced that Europe's haphazard ...

If Google is in Ireland for tax reasons, why are most of its profits in Bermuda?

Google's European headquarters in Dublin, where it moved three years after in an apparent bid to profit from Ireland's controversial low corporate tax rate. Photograph: Bloomberg via Getty Images Corporate tax â€" which is 12.5% in Ireland, ...

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Northern Ireland: Assembly Ends Term

By AP Protestant and Catholic leaders in Northern Ireland's unity government celebrated their first full four-year term in power on Wednesday and lauded Ian Paisley on his effective retirement day. Mr. Paisley, 84, left, who spent decades rallying ...

US Stocks Drop on Housing Data; Portugal, Ireland Bonds Fall

The yield on Ireland's two-year securities rose 60 basis points to 10.46 percent, while the 10-year yield exceeded 10 percent for the first time since the euro was introduced in 1999. Ten-year US Treasuries ended a four-day slide, with the yield five ...

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Portugal edges towards 'inevitable' bailout from EU partners

Photograph: Jose Manuel Ribeiro/Reuters Ireland's borrowing costs rose dramatically today in rumour-driven markets as speculation mounted that Portugal was also edging towards a bailout from its European partners. Troubled Allied Irish Banks was forced ...

Irish Banks Hope Stress Tests Restore Confidence

By EAMON QUINN DUBLINâ€"Looming stress tests on four troubled Irish lenders will attempt to reach a definite count of the losses lurking in their loan books but could still fail to restore confidence in Ireland's broken banking system. ...

Monday, March 21, 2011

Noonan battles to save 12.5% tax rate

By Ann Cahill, Europe Correspondent THE gloves have come off in Ireland's fight to keep its corporate tax rate and win a cut in the amount of interest the country is paying for its â‚¬67 billion bailout. Finance Minister Michael Noonan yesterday fired a ...

England slip in world rankings

England's failure to secure the Grand Slam has seen them slip below Ireland in the latest IRB World Rankings, despite their overall victory in the Six Nations. Martin Johnson's men were hammered 24-8 by their Irish counterparts in Dublin on Saturday, ...

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Lessons from the Six Nations

By JONATHAN CLEGG England's Tom Wood, right, is tackled by Rory Best of Ireland on Saturday. Ireland's victory meant England won the tournament but were denied a grand slam. By now, you know that England won the 2011 Six Nations Championship and that ...

Obama, on St. Pat's Day, announces trip to Ireland

President Barack Obama chose St. Patrick's Day to announce that he's adding Ireland to the itinerary for his trip to Europe in May. Obama made the announcement as he welcomed new Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny to the White House for an annual ceremony ...

Saturday, March 19, 2011

IRELAND 24 - ENGLAND 8: GRAND SHAM

Ireland almost scored a try in the right-hand corner, but the danger was averted. Youngs gathered the ball and threw it into the crowd to prevent a quick line-out. It was a deeply cynical manoeuvre from Youngs, the ball thrown behind his back, ...

President Obama and Queen Elizabeth to visit Ireland the same week

Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore has announced that United States President Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth II will visit Ireland within the same week in May. Gilmore, who was meeting with United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington ...

Friday, March 18, 2011

Warm Irish welcomes start to flow for Obamas

SCARCELY FIVE hours had passed since President Barack Obama announced he would visit Ireland, but already, in the reception line at the White House on Thursday night, the presidential couple were inundated with invitations. John Hegarty, the provost of ...

The English View: Ireland v England

by Brendan Cole Will Ireland continue hoofing the leather off the ball despite team selection changes? Can they beat England? Shaun Edwards, writing for the Guardian expects England to try to play with ball in hand, while Ireland are set to kick the ...

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Ireland's New Leader Wrestles With Lingering Debt Problems, EU Bailout

Margaret Warner reports on Ireland's debt woes and talks with new Prime Minister Enda Kenny about his country's struggle to revive a once-thriving economy. JEFFREY BROWN: Next tonight, Europe's debt problems pay a call on the White House. ...

Northern Ireland enjoys St Patrick's Day celebrations

Thousands of people have taken part in St Patrick's Day celebrations across NI, with one of the main events taking place in Belfast. A carnival with nearly 1000 participants left City Hall at midday heading for Custom House Square for an open air ...

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Tax Hike Ruled Out for Ireland

By GERALD F. SEIB WASHINGTONâ€"Ireland's new prime minister flatly ruled out raising his country's low corporate-tax rate, despite pressure from the European Union to do so as part of a bailout package. "I'm not willing to consider it," Enda Kenny said ...

Tax proposal could emerge as bargaining chip in negotiations over Ireland's ...

The initiative â€" which is full of technical issues usually reserved for tax accountants â€" has moved into the realm of high politics in recent weeks, as EU leaders struggle with Ireland's new government on the terms of its â‚¬67.5 billion ($93.72 ...

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

The most Irish town in America?

THEY SAY that Butte, Montana, has the largest St Patrick's Day parade in the Rockies, but I didn't know whether it was going to be far removed from the reality of Ireland, a sort of disconnected theme parade. Was the Irishness of the participants ...

Ireland 'must compromise' on bailout

Ireland must "give" before it can receive better terms on its bailout package, Austrian finance minister Josef Proell has said. "If Ireland wants concessions, it has to do something for it," Mr Proell told reporters in Brussels today. ...

Monday, March 14, 2011

France's Lagarde Hopes For Progress On Ireland Tax Stand-Off End March

BRUSSELS -(Dow Jones)- French finance minister Christine Lagarde Monday said she is hopeful progress will be made on the stand-off between Ireland and other members of the euro zone over its corporate tax rate and the change of the conditions of its ...

17 Bizarre but True Facts About Ireland

The national symbol of Ireland isn't the shamrock. It's the Celtic harp. That makes Ireland only country in the world with a musical instrument for a national symbol. 2. The Irish flag was designed to reflect the country's political situation. ...

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Kenny tells Mayo crowd Ireland will fight its case

TAOISEACH ENDA Kenny has said the electorate's choice of government represented â€œa brilliant opportunity for us to get Ireland rightâ€. â€œWe've got . . . a mountain to climb,â€ Mr Kenny told an estimated 3000 people at his homecoming celebration in ...

FOCUS: Irish Govt Looks To Round Two For Interest Rate Deal

Both parties in Ireland's governing coalition pledged to renegotiate the interest rate during campaigning ahead of the Feb. 25 general election. But at a meeting with leaders from the 16 other nations that use the euro Friday, Prime Minister Enda Kenny ...

Saturday, March 12, 2011

EU Agrees on 'A Pact for the Euro'

Ireland, which sought better terms on the â‚¬67.5 billion ($93.8 billion) bailout it received last year, was rebuffed after refusing to contemplate raising its low corporate tax rate. Associated Press German Chancellor Angela Merkel with French President ...

More money, more reforms as euro states pledge credibility

The euro's credibility has been battered over the last 18 months as markets have questioned whether members such as Greece and Ireland would ever be capable of paying their debts. The summit, which began on Friday, was meant to agree a sweeping range ...

Friday, March 11, 2011

Euro-Zone Leaders In Heated Debate On Ireland Raising Corp Tax -Sources

BRUSSELS -(Dow Jones)- Euro-zone leaders are in a heated debate in the early hours of Saturday on whether Ireland should raise its corporate tax rate in exchange for a larger emergency lending facility and lower interest rates on its bailout loans, ...

Merkel Said to Back Lower Bailout Rates for Greece, Ireland

Becker, speaking from Frankfurt with Deirdre Bolton on Bloomberg Television's "InsideTrack," also talks about Portugal's borrowing of 1 billion euros ($1.4 billion) in a bond auction today, the prospects for a Greek default and Ireland's debt. ...

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Merkel Is Said to Support Lower Bailout Rates on Debt for Greece, Ireland

Pardew open to Ireland deal

By ESPNsoccernet staff Newcastle boss Alan Pardew insists he is still looking at a permanent deal for Stephen Ireland despite his injury problems. Ireland moved on loan from Aston Villa in January after failing to impress Gerard Houllier, ...

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Ireland: New Prime Minister Is Sworn In

Ireland has been traumatized the collapse of its economy and recently accepted a $93 billion loan from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. Ms. Kenny pledged to enter into a â€œcovenant with the Irish peopleâ€ in which â€œhonesty is not ...

Pope's Ireland visit would bring multi-million boost to the Irish economy

If Pope Benedict's visit to Ireland in June 2012 goes ahead it will bring a multi-million dollar boost to the Irish economy. Irish church leaders are confident that the leader of the Catholic Church will preside over an open-air Mass at Croke Park as ...

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Serious issue settled as scientists reveal that Guinness in Ireland tastes ...

A SERIOUS science journal has dared to go where no science journal has gone before by tackling a question that has long vexed mankind (especially when sitting in a pub): does Guinness travel well outside Ireland? The answer, tentatively, is no. ...

Hook back at 10 and Halfpenny starts against Ireland

Wales have brought Blues wing Leigh Halfpenny and Scarlets centre Jonathan Davies into their back line for the visit of Ireland to the Millennium Stadium on Saturday (5.00pm) and said 'same again' to the pack which sealed a RBS 6 Nations Championship ...

Monday, March 7, 2011

Queen Elizabeth's visit to Ireland

Yours, etc, A chara, â€" Republican Sinn FÃ©in will actively oppose the visit of the Queen of England to the 26-county State in order to send out a clear message to the world that British rule in Ireland is neither normal nor acceptable. ...

Ireland govt wants to use extra revenues for growth

DUBLIN, March 7 (Reuters) - Ireland's new government wants to change conditions of its EU/IMF bailout to allow it to use any extra revenues it raises to stimulate the economy, a lawmaker from junior coalition partner Labour said on Monday. ...

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Irish `War Cabinet' May Seek Senior Bank Bond Restructuring as Debts Rise

By Colm Heatley - Mon Mar 07 00:01:18 GMT 2011 Ireland's incoming government said it may need to introduce laws allowing the restructuring of some senior bank bonds, as the country's debt level risks becoming â€œunsustainable. ...

Ireland's new government to stick to EU/IMF plan - source

Ireland's prime minister in-waiting Enda Kenny (R) attends an European People's Party (EPP) meeting in Helsinki March 4, 2011. By Carmel Crimmins and Padraic Halpin DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's new government will stick to the fiscal targets laid down ...

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Portugal hovers on the verge of crisis as eurozone argues over integration

Ireland's election winner, Enda Kenny, jetted off to Helsinki this weekend to lobby for a reduction to the swingeing interest payments on its â‚¬85bn bailout, and for a more hands-off approach from Brussels on spending cuts. Kenny, who is finalising a ...

India v Ireland, World Cup 2011: We have to start again - William Porterfield

"First of all, we have to put Wednesday behind us," the Ireland captain said, just over 24 hours from the time he will walk out with India captain MS Dhoni for the toss of the World Cup game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Porterfield's Wednesday was made ...

Friday, March 4, 2011

Britain: A Royal Visit to Ireland

By SARAH LYALL Queen Elizabeth is to make a state visit to the Irish Republic this year, the first by a British monarch in 100 years and the only one since Ireland broke from Britain to become an independent country. The visit, which will likely take ...

Ireland upset with reports

Newcastle United's on-loan midfielder Stephen Ireland has moved to put the record straight on quotes attributed to him in Friday's newspapers regarding his parent club, Aston Villa, and his hometown in Ireland. In an interview with French football ...

Thursday, March 3, 2011

IMF Rate on Ireland Loan to Fall as Quota Share at Fund Rises

By Sandrine Rastello - Fri Mar 04 00:43:26 GMT 2011 The interest rate Ireland will pay the International Monetary Fund as part of a 22.5 billion-euro loan ($31.4 billion) will decline as a 2008 agreement boosting its say at the institution and giving ...

Kenny to press Irish case on debt costs with Merkel

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's prime minister in-waiting Enda Kenny will again press for a cut in the cost of an EU rescue package when he meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel this week. Merkel on Wednesday cast doubt on the incoming Irish ...

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Rogoff Says Debt Restructuring 'Inevitable' in Greece, Ireland

By Rainer Buergin - Wed Mar 02 18:10:59 GMT 2011 Greece and Ireland will need to restructure their debts and Spain and Portugal may face doing so to survive Europe's sovereign debt crisis, Harvard University professor Kenneth Rogoff said. ...

Ireland Central Bank Releases Banks' Debt Liabilities

By Paul Hannon And Ainsley Thomson DUBLINâ€"Six Irish banks had â‚¬16.4 billion ($22.58 billion) outstanding of senior bonds that aren't guaranteed by the government or secured on mortgages, the Central Bank of Ireland said Wednesday, as it revealed the ...

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Waterford, Ireland: City Sparkles Like the Crystal

But Waterford, in Ireland's sunny southeast (sunny being a relative concept in Ireland), hasn't always had it easy. The city is often passed over by tourists in favor of Dublin's nightlife or the emerald-green seaside hills of Kerry. And two years ago, ...

Englad v Ireland: Ireland aim to take down the old enemy

By Travis Basevi and George Binoy With their boisterous, fun-loving demeanour both on and off the pitch, Ireland were always going to be one of the Associate teams that, as AB de Villiers said, make the World Cup "more colourful". ...

Monday, February 28, 2011

FP's Peter Foster: One step closer to European superstate

Predictably, Fianna Fail â€" the party that has dominated Ireland's politics for eight decades and presided over its spectacular 2008 financial meltdown â€" was tossed out of office at the weekend. This leaves former opposition party Fine Gael to put ...

Ireland parties talk coalition, seek bailout changes

By Padraic Halpin and Carmel Crimmins DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's opposition parties were to kick-start coalition talks on Monday after an election win they said gave them a mandate to renegotiate an EU-IMF rescue deal they fear will bankrupt the ...

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Euro Declines to Almost Three-Week Low Versus Yen After Ireland Election

â€œWe've got a political shift in Ireland and Germany and a banking system that's hooked on European Central Bank cash,â€ said Robert Rennie, Sydney-based chief currency strategist at Westpac Banking Corp., Australia's second-largest lender. ...

Irish Govt Talks May Conclude Quickly,Focus On EU Meetings

In November, Ireland became the second euro-zone member to seek external help when investors stopped buying its government's bonds. The outgoing government negotiated EUR67.5 billion in loans from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, ...

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Ireland's PM-elect sees compromise on bailout rate

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's prime minister in waiting Enda Kenny on Saturday said he believed the European Union and International Monetary Fund might compromise on the interest rate charged on an 85 billion euro bailout. Kenny, whose Fine Gael party ...

Ireland's Ruling Party Headed for Crushing Defeat, Early Poll Shows

Mr. Cowen has become for many a hated symbol of the policies that led to Ireland's current predicament and to its precipitous fall from prosperity to ruin. Unemployment is up to 13.8 percent (it was as low as 4.2 percent as recently as 2005); ...