In Short

A round-up of today's other stories in brief.

100 medical sector jobs for Ballinasloe

More than 100 jobs are to be created in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, by a Japanese medical device company.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin is expected to announce today that USCI (Universal Sciences Catheters and Instruments) Japan Ltd is to locate a new facility in the IDA business park in the east Galway market town.

The jobs will be created over four years and are expected to be a mixture of research and development and high-end manufacturing.

Decision due on Fyffes' legal costs

The issue of who will have to pay the multimillion euro legal costs of Fyffes plc's unsuccessful legal action alleging insider dealing by DCC plc in the fruit distributor's shares is expected to be decided by the High Court on January 26th.

The court may also be told on the same date whether Fyffes intends to appeal Ms Justice Mary Laffoy's dismissal of its claim to the Supreme Court.

The case was briefly mentioned before the judge yesterday. She was told by Mr Kevin Feeney SC, for DCC, that both sides had agreed that the hearing of submissions on the costs issue, expected to last half a day, would take place on January 26th.

J&J weighs up takeover bid

Johnson & Johnson is weighing a higher takeover offer for medical-device maker Guidant in a move to thwart a $25 billion (€20.6 billion) bid from rival suitor Boston Scientific, a source said yesterday.J&J and Guidant have held discussions since Boston Scientific submitted its definitive bid for Guidant on Sunday, the source said. - (Reuters)

B of I's start-up package enhanced

Bank of Ireland yesterday announced enhancements to its business start-up package, offering customers discounted mobile phones and website design, as well as a free listing in the phone directory. Since April, 8,000 customers have signed up for the start-up package.

Body Shop shares fall as profits hit

Shares in Body Shop fell 20 per cent yesterday in London after the beauty product retailer warned that full-year profits would be 22 per cent below expectations due to supply problems in North America and a disappointing Christmas in the US and UK.

The group brought forward its trading update to admit that lower than forecast retail sales and non-recurring costs of at least £4 million (€5.8 million) meant operating profits would be at best marginally ahead of last year's £39.2 million. - (Financial Times service)

Salary growth rate to slow down

Salaries across the Republic are expected to rise again this year, though the gains will be less than in 2005, according to a report released yesterday. The latest Irish Salary Survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers forecasts that salaries will increase by an average of 4.8 per cent this year, compared with 5.5 per cent in 2005.

Greencore chief earned €884,000

Greencore, the food ingredients company, paid chief executive David Dilger a remuneration package of €884,000 in the year ended September 30th, 2005.

This was up on the €861,000 he received in the same period in 2004. Mr Dilger's basic salary was €600,000, but added to this was benefits worth €44,000 and a performance-related bonus of €240,000.