http://www.irishtimes.com Articles from The Irish Times - Finance en-ie Copyright 2008, irishtimes.com. The Irish Times 2008-11-21T00:00:00 http://www.irishtimes.com/ http://www.irishtimes.com/feeds/rss/rss_logo.gif Search for articles on irishtimes.com keywords http://www.irishtimes.com/search/index.html?rm=listresults http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525889.html MINISTER FOR Finance Brian Lenihan has signalled in discussions with the six guaranteed banks and building societies that he expects mergers to take place to strengthen the Irish banking sector in a move that could dramatically reshape the industry. Text Finance TopStories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525889 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525891.html HOUSEHOLDS AND businesses are unlikely to face a further increase in natural gas charges next January as fossil fuel prices have continued falling on world markets. Text Finance TopStories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525891 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525913.html ENTREPRENEUR RAY Coyle sold a 15 per cent stake in his Largo Foods crisp-making business last year to Cologne-based food group Intersnack for €15 million. Text Finance TopStories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525913 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525990.html Hypo Real Estate's Irish subsidiary's liquidity woes were known to German authorities, writes Derek Scallyin Berlin Text Finance TopStories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525990 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137526009.html THE UNDER-CAPITALISED US financial system needs "at least" $1 -$1.2 trillion (€800-€962 billion) to restore confidence and improve liquidity in the credit markets, according to a new report. Text Finance Other Stories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137526009 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137526005.html ICELAND HAD to borrow about $10 billion (€7.99 billion) yesterday, roughly the size of its entire gross domestic product, to prevent its economy collapsing. Text Finance Other Stories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137526005 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525977.html THE US Congress could not approve a new emergency loan to the country's troubled car sector, Democratic leaders said yesterday, after two days of hearings on Capitol Hill in which industry leaders' plea for aid appeared to backfire. Text Finance Other Stories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525977 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525981.html KERRY'S LARGEST Ford dealership was last night convicted of four charges relating to incorrect VAT returns and fined a total of €50,000 at the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee. Text Finance Other Stories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525981 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137526017.html DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT technology provider DTS is to create up to 50 new jobs in Limerick. Text Finance Other Stories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137526017 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525020.html Contact has intensified between the Government and executives from a US consortium eyeing up Bank of Ireland and ILP, writes Simon Carswell Text Finance Other Stories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525020 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525044.html New York investment bank Sandler O'Neill is advising US private equity firms JC Flowers and the Carlyle Group in the consortium which is interested in investing one or a number of Irish banks. Text Finance Other Stories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525044 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525819.html SPECULATION OVER the Government's intentions in the banking sector and the possibility of consolidation led to a volatile day on the Irish market, which closed down by 105.40 points at 2,310.82. Text Finance Other Stories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525819 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137526003.html Today's other business stories in brief Text Finance Other Stories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137526003 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525118.html ANALYSIS:The Bill combines measures to raise revenues and clamp down on tax avoidance, writes Arthur Beesley Text Finance Finance Bill 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525118 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525452.html REVENUE CLAMPDOWN:THE OWNERS of property abroad are facing fresh Revenue scrutiny on whether any Irish tax is due on such assets following a legal manoeuvre by the Government that will make it easier to secure information from estate agents on foreign transactions. Text Finance Finance Bill 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525452 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525136.html PRESS CONFERENCE:THE GOVERNMENT will have to cut back on State spending if the €2 billion extra in taxation to be raised by the Budget does not stabilise the exchequer's finances, Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan has stated. Text Finance Finance Bill 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525136 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525370.html REVENUE RULES:MINISTERS, TOP State officials and President Mary McAleese will not suffer a tax penalty because of their move to sacrifice 10 per cent of their salaries, following a decision by the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan. Text Finance Finance Bill 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525370 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525122.html NON-RESIDENT CITIZENS:IRISH CITIZENS who are non-resident for tax purposes but who make frequent visits to Ireland will be affected by a new provision in the Finance Act. Text Finance Finance Bill 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525122 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525394.html CYCLING MEASURE:EMPLOYERS WILL be able to fund the purchase of bicycles and accessories to a value of €1,000 under new benefit-in-kind provisions in the Finance Bill. Text Finance Finance Bill 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525394 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525069.html The Government must move on from tax hikes to pruning public expenditure, writes Colm McCarthy Text Finance Finance Bill 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525069 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525082.html EMPLOYEE PARKING:THE €200 workplace parking levy to be introduced in five cities is expected to generate income of over €10 million annually. Text Finance Finance Bill 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525082 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525073.html RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT:TAX EXPERTS have described the further amendments to the research and development (RD) tax credit scheme as a "halfway house" between industry and the Department of Finance. Text Finance Finance Bill 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525073 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525062.html PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY:THE GOVERNMENT is changing the legislation that set up the new Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland to ensure that its sale of two valuable buildings in Dublin 4 will be subject to capital gains tax (CGT). Text Finance Finance Bill 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525062 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137525075.html Today's other stories in brief Text Finance Finance Bill 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137525075 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519545.html ECONOMICS:FOLLOWING A year of buoyant spending, it would appear that the Irish consumer has essentially gone on strike in 2008. Against a backdrop of rising unemployment and subdued confidence, consumers will increasingly opt to save rather than spend - bad news for the retail sector and Irish economy in general in 2009. Text Finance Agenda 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519545 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519572.html Laura Slatteryperuses the week in business Text Finance Agenda 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519572 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519554.html THE FRIDAY INTERVIEW/Chris Clark, chief executive, BT Ireland:CHRIS CLARK, BT's man in Ireland, could be forgiven for feeling undervalued. The all-Ireland division of the former British state telecoms company posted an impressive set of half-year results last week. Revenue was up 5.4 per cent to €486.6 million, earnings grew 13.5 per cent and margins increased by 10 per cent. It was one of the few bright spots in the group's results but was overshadowed by Ian Livingston, BT's chief executive, announcing that he was looking to trim the workforce by 10,000. Text Finance Agenda 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519554 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137520689.html Fresh capital may strengthen banks but they will still curb lending to rely less on wholesale funding, writes Simon Carswell, Finance Correspondent Text Finance Agenda 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137520689 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137520693.html Many small businesses are in serious jeopardy unless the banks quickly make more finance available, writes Fiona Reddan Text Finance Agenda 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137520693 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137520682.html RACHAEL McDAID started her legal services firm, Legalline.ie, last August, and says the usual pressures associated with setting up a business have been exacerbated by the credit crunch. Text Finance Agenda 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137520682 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137520678.html PLATFORM:THE BENDY carrot and knobbly turnip can be seen in polite society once again. This is certainly a cause for celebration. But while last week's decision by the European Commission will relax some of the stringent rules on the appearance of fruit and vegetables in the EU, it will take a lot more work to tackle the issue of food waste, writes Feargal Quinn. Text Finance Agenda 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137520678 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519664.html NET RESULTS:EVEN VICE suffers in a downturn. The crowds flooding the streets and casinos on the Las Vegas strip make it appear otherwise but, like people everywhere in the global economic downturn, they aren't spending like they'd normally spend on the tables and the one-armed bandits. Text Finance Technology 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519664 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519682.html INBOX:HAND-HELD GAMES have been threatening to merge with the mobile phone for years, but even with the onward march of technology, the portable console remains firmly in the driving seat, writes Mike Butcher. Text Finance Technology 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519682 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519671.html With John Swainson at the helm, CA has emerged from scandal to record its eighth straight profitable quarter, writes Karlin Lillingtonin Las Vegas Text Finance Technology 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519671 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519675.html The popularity of ultra-portable low-cost devices is re-energising the PC market, writes Ciara O'Brien Text Finance Technology 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519675 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519519.html JOHAN GORECKI is no stranger to innovation. Involved in the development of IP telephony company Skype, the Swedish entrepreneur has since moved on to a new venture with sustainable innovation in mind. Text Finance Technology 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519519 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519515.html THE BATTLE to integrate Web 2.0 tools into day-to-day business practices will continue to be a significant issue for companies, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers' (PwC) new technology forecasts. Text Finance Technology 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519515 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519528.html THE COURTS system is about to be hauled into the 21st century, with a state-of-the-art system that will make the new criminal courts complex in Dublin one of the most technologically advanced courts facilities in the world. Text Finance Technology 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519528 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519507.html ONLINE FORUM Boards.ie netted the inaugural People's Choice Award at the Eircom Golden Spiders internet awards, which were presented in Dublin last night by comedian Des Bishop. Text Finance Technology 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519507 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519511.html WIRED:THE INTERNET has frequently been cited as the most cunning tool of jihadists and radicals of all stripes. We are told how that most medieval of organisations, al-Qaeda, has used the internet for recruitment and morale, spreading videos of its propaganda on YouTube and plotting its next attack on discussion groups buried in the hidden corners of the global communications infrastructure, writes Danny O'Brien Text Finance Technology 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519511 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519534.html Today's other technology stories in brief Text Finance Technology 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519534 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137522609.html QA:Q I'm currently in the process or remortgaging and I've gone through a broker for convenience. The broker has arranged an offer from IIB (KBC) bank. Is this bank likely to pass on the latest ECB reduction? If not, would I be better off approaching the other banks directly? Text Finance Personal Finance 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137522609 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137523384.html Here are five effective ways in which to reduce the responsibility of having to come up with a hefty mortgage sum every month, writes Fiona Reddan Text Finance Personal Finance 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137523384 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137522632.html A share incentive scheme is certainly a cheaper alternative to giving cash bonuses or pay rises, writes Caroline Madden Text Finance Personal Finance 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137522632 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137522645.html SERIOUS MONEY:Despite the anguished commentary, we are not seeing a repeat of the Great Depression, writes Charlie Fell  Text Finance Personal Finance 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137522645 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519654.html There are 310 franchised businesses here, with an estimated combined turnover of more than €2.5 billion employing 27,000 staff, writes Frank Dillon Text Finance Recruitment & Management 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519654 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519631.html MANAGERS ON MANAGEMENT:SIR GERRY Robinson has just spent the past two days in Liverpool Prison filming for a new television series, and his mind is on what interests him most in business: outcomes. Text Finance Recruitment & Management 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519631 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519658.html The Brightwater 2009 salary survey suggests casual staff will have a major role to play as businesses cut costs, writes Ciara O'Brien Text Finance Recruitment & Management 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519658 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137519645.html The Cully Sully name sets a young, fun tone reflected in every aspect of the brand - packaging, website and camper van, writes Caroline Madden Text Finance Recruitment & Management 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137519645 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137521375.html AFTER WATCHING his various listed exploration stocks take a hammering in recent times, entrepreneur John Teeling's spirits were raised this week by his Cooley whiskey operation in Co Louth landing a couple of major international awards in London. Text Finance Back Page 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137521375 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137521349.html ONE PARTY who will have been keeping a close eye on Aer Lingus's successful cost-cutting talks with Siptu is the Dublin Airport Authority. Text Finance Back Page 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137521349 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137521388.html WILLY WONKA has nothing on Irish snack foods king Ray Coyle, who is planning to open a €6.5 million animal sanctuary beside his crisp factory in Ashbourne, Co Meath. Text Finance Back Page 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137521388 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137520905.html LIKE IT or not, our main banks look set to be recapitalised by the Government. That could be a hit of €3-€15 billion for the taxpayer, depending on the scheme details. Text Finance Back Page 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137520905 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137521364.html A RATHER bleak assessment of how long the global recession might last emerged this week from a hotel conference in Britain. Text Finance Back Page 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137521364 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/1121/1227137521008.html INTERVIEW/Olga Gashi, Word Perfect: ANYONE LOOKING for a young Irish company whose growth has been a perfect reflection of the socioeconomic development of Ireland over the past decade need look no further than Word Perfect Translations. Text Finance Back Page 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137521008