Eircom has launched its new superfast fibre broadband network as well as launching a new suite of eFibre products and bundles for consumers and businesses. Twenty-four of Ireland's leading entrepreneurs have been named as finalists for the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Programme 2013. Activity in the Irish services sector expanded for the ninth consecutive month in April, according to NCB's services PMI. Irish manufacturing companies endured a difficult month in April, with NCB's PMI for the sector showing that activity contracted for the second month running. AIB has opened a new digital banking store in Dundrum Town Centre which aims to help customers make the most of the bank's existing and emerging banking service technologies. The latest NCB Services PMI shows that activity in the Irish services sector expanded in March, albeit at a slightly slower rate than in recent months. Irish business has made a solid start to 2013 and stronger conditions are expected to take hold in coming months, according to the Spring 2013 KBC Bank Ireland/Chartered Accountants Ireland Business Sentiment Survey. Small business owners are more satisfied with the government than they were three months ago. That's according to research by lobby group ISME (the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association). Business confidence improved strongly in the opening months of 2013, according to the latest IBEC Business Sentiment Survey for the first quarter. A new programme has been launched aimed at helping 20 small Irish businesses to start selling online.

This Weeks Irish Business News

Linked Finance, Ireland's first online crowd funding initiative has launched in Dublin with the backing of Enterprise ireland and private investors. Irish hoteliers have voiced dissatisafction over the quality of tourism statistics being provided by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). There was a pick-up in the rate of growth of the manufacturing sector in February, according to the latest NCB Manufacturing PMI. Enterprise Ireland is seeking applications from potential entrepreneurs for its second New Frontiers Programme. InterTradeIreland will hold a series of workshops around the country over the coming months aimed at helping SMEs improve their understanding of how to tender for cross-border government contracts. The Dublin Chamber of Commerce has published a new guide aimed at educating SMEs about how to compete for public sector procurement contracts. Skillnets, the national training and upskilling body, has announced the formation of a new €500,000 training fund aimed at assisting private sector businesses. A new study by DCU Ryan Academy has indicated that Irish startups are heavily dependent on business angels and other types of informal investment to get off the ground. AIB Bank has pledged to provide at least €2bn worth of mortgage lending in 2013. PARTAS, a non-profit organisation working to create an entrepreneurial community, has launched a new programme called Occupation Transformation. The DCU Innovation Campus was officially opened today and becomes the new national centre for innovation in the fast-growing Cleantech sector. 2013 will be a better year for investors, according to the wealth managers, Merrill Lynch. Details of the 30 companies awarded funding under the Enterprise Ireland Competitive Start Fund have been announced. David Carson of Deloitte has been appointed receiver to HMV Ireland, it has been confirmed. The consumer mood darkened considerably in the final weeks of 2012, according to the KBC Ireland/ESRI Consumer Sentiment Index. There were 76,260 new cars licences in 2012, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office. The National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) has announced investment commitments to a suite of three new long-term funds which will provide equity, credit and restructuring investment for SMEs and mid-sized corporates. Measures announced in Budget 2013 helped lift the government's satisfaction rating among SMEs, according to ISME's quarterly Government Satisfaction ratings. The recent Budget has left individuals facing into 2013 with some trepidation. However, there are still a variety of ways in which you can claw back some of the tax that you have paid, provided you take action before 31 December 2012 KBC Bank Ireland has opened its first high street retail office in Dublin. After a successful launch in the UK, Xenergie, an Irish business management company is opening it's international headquarters in Kinvara, Co. Galway, in January 2013. Penneys has finalised the revamp of its flagship store on Mary Street in Dublin ahead of the Christmas buying rush. SolarPrint, a developer of high performance indoor energy harvesting technology, said it has closed a €1m investment round led by the Kernel Capital-managed Bank of Ireland Seed and Early Stage Equity Fund. Still trying to get your head around what Budget 2013 means for you, your employees and your business? We've pulled together reaction from those in the know, outlining the good and the bad from yesterday's announcement. Ireland's dole queues shortened slightly during November 2012, according to the latest Live Register figures released by the Central Statistics Office. Manufacturing firms enjoyed a ninth successive month of improvement in activity levels, according to NCB's PMI for the sector. AIB has launched a new and improved dedicated website for business customers. The Small Firms Association has released details of the finalists for the SFA National Small Business Awards 2013, which will take place in March next year. October was a good month for Ireland's retailers, with figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showing a 3.6% annual increase in the value of sales during the month. Fleetmatics, a provider of fleet management solutions for commercial fleet vehicles, has launched two ebooks aimed at helping SME business owners cut costs and improve efficiencies. The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association has called on the government to reverse its decision to place the County & City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) under the control of Local Government and the Department of the Environment. The government said it will provide an additional €3.8m to the 30 County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) before the end of 2012, in an effort to help fund job creation projects. Two thirds of private and family-owned businesses believe the coalition government has not improved the business environment in Ireland since assuming power, according to a survey 300 owner managers by KPMG. French/American company Axway is to buy Dublin software company Vordel for an undisclosed sum. Firm operating in the services sector performed strongly during October, according to the NCB Services PMI. Business conditions in the Irish manufacturing sector improved again in October, according to the latest NCB Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) report. Enterprise Ireland has launched a new fund which will provide funding of up to €25,000 for startups based in the midlands region. There were further signs of stability in the property sector in September, with the average price of residential property rising by 0.9% month-on-month. This follows a 0.5% rise in August. The recent spike in business activity slowed during the third quarter, according to the autumn 2012 KBC Bank Ireland/Chartered Accountants Ireland Business Sentiment Survey. Self-employed, non-PAYE employees have been warned to file their tax returns before the October 31 deadline. Enterprise Ireland has established a new fund of up to €500,000 aimed at helping female entrepreneurs to build startups. August proved to be a good month for Irish firms selling their goods abroad, with figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showing a 17% increase compared with the same month last year. Entries are now being taken for the annual Cork Company of the Year awards. Entries will be accepted for the 16th staging of the awards up until 2 November. Office take-up in Dublin in the July to September quarter was higher than expected, according to property consultants CBRE, but the overhang remains enormous. NCB's Services PMI for September shows that total business activity experienced its fastest growth rate in 19 months in September. Davy, Ireland's leading wealth manager, has launched Davy Select, billed as Ireland's first online funds supermarket and pension advice service. O2 has added the popular Doro PhoneEasy 612 clamshell camera mobile to its range of phones and it is available now in O2 stores and online in Ireland. Vodafone Ireland has acquired Complete Telecom, a wholly owned Irish business based in Dublin that provides enterprise managed data network and fixed telecoms services. The Irish Exporters Association has collaborated with Bord Bia to create a fresh new approach to new product development for the food and drink industry. Ireland's first database of transaction details for residential properties has been made available online by the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA). August saw a rare spike in retail sales, according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). Dublin-based marketing company Acorn has been acquired by US group Hyper Marketing. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but reports suggest a price of around €6m. Entries are now being taken for the sixth Medical Technology Industry Excellence Awards Businesses which have been refused funding by their bank are being encouraged to apply to the government's new MicroFinance Scheme EBS has announced details of a negative equity trade up mortgage for its customers who are in negative equity in their current home, but wish to move to a property of greater value. Enterprise Ireland has named 30 companies that have been awarded funding under the agency's Competitive Start Fund, and announced a new call for applicants. Companies in Limerick are being offered the chance to win seed capital funding of €15,000 as part of the Irish Innovation Showcase which will be held at Dell Ireland's Limerick campus in October. Startupbootcamp, a leading global accelerator, has announced the launch of HealthXL to support startups in the digital health arena. Dublin Chamber has called for the raising of the cash accounting VAT threshold to ease the cashflow concerns of SMEs. Applications are now being taken for Enterprise Ireland's new Competitive Feasibility Fund, which offers funding of up to €25,000 to entrepreneurs in the west of Ireland. AIB claims that it sanctioned nine out of every ten loan applications made by SME businesses during the first half of 2012. Entries are now being taken for the third year of the LINC's (Learning and Innovation Centre) at the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown (ITB) annual entrepreneurial competition, Jump Start 2012. Half of all requests for bank credit from SMEs are being refused, according to the latest ISME Quarterly Bank Watch Survey. The local Enterprise Board in Fingal is to run a series of free events in the region next month aimed at helping small business owners get to grips with online selling and the digital era. A new guide from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation provides simple advice for small businesses facing difficulties, as well as contact details and website addresses for organisations where further guidance will be available. The Small Firms Association is seeking entries for its National Small Business Awards 2013, which celebrate the achievements of small business in Ireland. Deloitte has commenced its search for 200 graduate positions across all departments of the firm including audit, tax, consulting, corporate finance and enterprise risk services. US tech and media companies on the country's west coast will be courted by business advisory firm Grant Thornton next month, with the aim of raising awareness of opportunities for them to locate in Ireland. The value of retail sales was -1.6% lower in July this year than in the same month last year, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The impact of modern technology on Irish homes has been laid bare in a new survey by Eircom. Fintrax Group Holdings has been acquired by Exponent Private Equity for a consideration of €170 million from majority shareholder the Barry Family Trust and Management. The number of small firms planning to increase pay remains small, according to the latest Small Firms Association survey on pay and conditions of employment. Confidence among finance professionals has flagged over the past few months, according to a survey conducted by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). The Smart Accessibility Awards 2012, a competition worth €200,000 that calls for developers from across Europe to design smartphone apps which take into consideration the needs of older people and people with disabilities, was launched today by the Vodafone Foundation and its partners. Manufacturing firms reported a sharp pick-up in activity during July, thanks to an increase in new orders. Childhood care organisation Early Childhood Ireland has issued a stark warning about the possible impact that new government sick pay proposals could have on preschools and creches. The number of .ie domains registered in 2011 was 8% higher than in the previous year, according to the IEDR's (IE domain registry) 2011 annual report The value of retail sales decreased by 4.9% in the year to June, according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office. The value of sales was also 1.3% lower when compared to sales in May. AIB has expressed concern that unseasonal weather conditions is having a severe impact on the farming and agribusiness sectors. Enterprise Ireland has launched a €250,000 fund aimed at stimulating high potential business startups by female entrepreneurs. Limerick-based ALR Innovations, which has developed an automated recycling method for LCD flat screens, has received a €50,000 investment from the AIB Seed Capital Fund, managed by Enterprise Equity. The European Central Bank has cut its key interest rate by a quarter percentage point to a record low of 0.75%, as expected. Demand for bank credit among Irish SMEs remains relatively low, according to an independent report published by the government. With the publication of the Personal Insolvency Bill today, ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is advising any business offering credit to suppliers to step up their credit policies before the legislation is enacted later this year. The Q2 SME business trends survey results for 2012 from ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, shows a decline in SME business confidence and expectations about the future. The management team of Celtic Media Group, printer and publisher of regional newspapers including the Anglo-Celt and Meath Chronicle, has acquired the business and assets of the group for €5.5m. AIB has launched a programme of supports aimed at helping startup businesses get off the ground. May proved to be a disappointing month for firms operating in the Irish services sector. The Credit Review Office received 44 applications from SME's who have been refused credit by the two pillar banks (AIB and Bank of Ireland) during March, April and May this year. Activity in the Irish manufacturing sector grew in May, according to the NCB manufacturing PMI. The shortlist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 has been announced. Business Plus has teamed up with flexible workspace provider Regus to offer three readers the chance to win one of the firm's Businessworld Gold Cards. The National Digital Research Centre has announced Ireland's first 'Swequity Exchange', where budding entrepreneurs, mentors, and experts in tech, business and the creative industries will form teams and develop potentially winning tech startups. PwC's 2012 CEO Pulse Survey, launched today, reveals some improvement in overall business and investment confidence. The vast majority of multinational CEOs indicate that their investment in Ireland is considered to be a success. Ireland's participation in Euro 2012 will boost retail sales to the tune of €250m, according to Retail Excellence Ireland (REI). Bloomberg has acquired Dublin-based software provider PolarLake and is launching a new enterprise data management (EDM) service to help companies acquire, manage and distribute data across their organizations. The European Commission is seeking applicants for its Executive Training Programme which aims to assist Irish companies with their export efforts to South Korea and Japan. Credit card fraud totalled €25.7m in 2011, according to the latest Credit Card Fraud Report released by the Irish Payment Services Organisation. UPC has launched a new On Demand TV service which offers customers the seven day catch-up TV from the RTÉ Player and 3player and over 1,300 hours of the best box sets and series for free. Heneghan PR has announced it will provide strategic and tactical public relations support to the value of €10,000 to the winner of the Blueface Business Elevator competition. Bank of Ireland has launched its sixth National Enterprise Week which aims to support SMEs. Six of seven (86%) business people, plan to vote yes to the Stability Treaty, according to a survey conducted by Dublin Chamber of Commerce. O2's parent Telefónica has launched in Ireland its global technology accelerator programme, Wayra, which has been created to find and nurture the best technology ideas and talent around the world. National Irish Bank is to be rebranded as Danske Bank as part of a restructuring of the business that also sees chief executive Andrew Healy leave the bank. The number of new professional job opportunities in the market increased by 5% year-on-year in April, according to the Morgan McKinley Irish Employment Monitor. Activity in the services sector expanded for the third month running in April, according to NCB's PMI. Phone and broadband provider O2 has launched an online store aimed at SMEs and sole traders. Entries are now being taken for InterTradeIreland's All-island Seedcorn Business Competition. House prices in Dublin rose last month, according to the latest statistics from the Central Statistics Office. Careergro, a human resources startup company based at NovaUCD, has secured an investment of €300,000. County Down based company TG Eakin Ltd has been crowned the 'Ulster Bank Business Achiever 2011' at the national final of the awards, which took place at the Mansion House in Dublin. Sandbox, the network of young innovators and entrepreneurs under the age of 30, is to launch a Dublin hub and is looking for young Irish business people to join its ranks. The Mole Screening Clinic has been selected as the first winner in the Eircom Startup initiative. The firm is the first monthly winner with 50 companies already filmed for the initiative and over 120 companies currently registered to take part. The government has launched a new €150m scheme aimed at supporting growing Irish SMEs and creating jobs. A clever Irish startup that offers Junior and Leaving Certificate students comprehensive exam preparation resources managed to generate a six-figure turnover in its first year, the business's directors have announced. Up to 40% of SMEs in Ireland never use Facebook for marketing purposes, while 48% of them don't use Twitter to sell their business, according to research carried out by The DG Group over March and April. Maynooth firm Capita Asset Services has been announced as the operator of the Temporary Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme, which aims to increase the credit being made available to job-creating SMEs. Firms operating in the services sector saw activity expand for the second consecutive month in March, according to NCB's PMI. The brainiest business in Ireland will be decided on April 26 when the annual Business Journalists Association corporate challenge takes place at Radisson Hotel, Golden Lane. Confidence levels among Irish businesses are at a five-year high, according to the latest ISME business trends survey. The December publication of the annual budget is ruining consumers' Christmas spending sprees, according to survey findings from a new coalition of Irish retail industry bodies, the National Retail Industry Alliance (NRIA). Irish Life & Permanent plc, the banking subsidiary of Irish Life & Permanent Group Holdings plc, has been ordered by the High Court to sell Irish Life Limited to the Minister for Finance for €1.3 billion. Completion of the transaction is to take place before 30 June 2012. Law firm A&L Goodbody has reached a new agreement with a number of China's top law firms and universities for a placement programme to help Chinese gain a knowledge and familiarity of Ireland and the common law concepts underpinning most international transactions. Public discussion and debate on Ireland's economic plight have been high on platitudes and low on new ideas, but this is now set to change, according the director of the newly launched Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI). IBEC is calling on the government to set a date for the Fiscal Stability Treaty referendum at this week's cabinet meeting, after a survey carried out by the group indicated strong support for the treaty. The Small Business Advice Programme, first launched in Cork in 2009, is being extended to Dublin from next week. Remember when Laser cards were all the rage? Banks don't seem so keen on them anymore and are opting to supply customers with Visa debit cards instead, the rationale being that that there is wider internet and international acceptance of Visa-branded cards. David Shubotham, a former leading stockbroker in Davy Stockbrokers who is now living in Switzerland, was involved in making corrupt payments to lobbyist Frank Dunlop, according to the final report of the Tribunal of Inquiry chaired by Judge Alan Mahon. The domestic Irish economy took a sharp turn for the worse in the final quarter of 2011, shrinking by 5.6% year-on-year Two business-oriented graduate programmes have been launched recently, each pitched at furthering entrepreneurial successes in Ireland as part of the road to economic recovery. Demand for Irish exports appears to be stagnating after nine consecutive quarters of growth, according to the latest Investec Export Analysis Report (I-EAR). Foodies with a taste for business and export trade are being catered for with a new training and development programme, which aims to support budding entrepreneurs. AIB has launched a new drive aimed at increasing the bank's engagement with its business customers throughout Ireland. Employment outlook for Irish companies has remained relatively stable, despite a big increase in anticipated hiring, according to Manpower's latest employment outlook survey. Irish companies are better prepared than many of their European counterparts to exploit the signs of stability returning to the economy. Half of all SME credit applications to banks were refused in the last three months, claims ISME. Business confidence continues to see-saw into 2012, according to findings from IBEC's Business Sentiment Report for Q1 2012. Enterprise Ireland is ramping up supports for indigenous companies with export pretensions through a new Potential Exporters Division, launched today by jobs minister Richard Bruton. Former chef Niall Harbison has scored a home run after the social media agency he set up in 2009 with Lauren Fisher was acquired by UTV in a deal which could be worth up to €6m. February proved to be a good month for Irish firms operating in the services sector. Eircom has launched a new initiative aimed at promoting up and coming Irish startup companies. Company insolvencies continued to increase in the first two months of this year, according to InsolvencyJournal.ie, with over five companies going out of business per day in February. Activity in the Irish manufacturing sector remained relatively stable during February, according to NCB's PMI for the sector. Activity in the Irish commercial property market is described as "meaningful" in the latest CBRE report, with transactions in all sectors of the occupier markets continuing apace thanks to the value on offer. Any lingering optimism after Christmas's retail sales figures has quickly dissipated following the publication of the CSO's retail sales index for January 2012, which recorded a 3.7% decrease compared with the previous month. Occupancy rates in Dublin hotels increased by 6% in 2011, according to figures from STR Global. Minister Sean Sherlock has launched a new entrepreneur development programme, to be delivered locally by 13 Irish institutes of technology. Despite the increasing numbers of out-of-work graduates, over half (52%) of employers here say that they are having difficulty hiring IT staff, according to findings by global recruitment firm Hays. Voip provider Blueface has cranked up the competition in the business mobile telecoms space with the launch of Blueface Mobile. A cloud careers programme for the unemployed is now up and running, after the initiative was finalised by the ISA Software Skillnet and VMware. Irish hoteliers have rounded on government attempts to resurrect the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) system, dismissing it as "an exercise in economic folly". Over half (58%) of 200 companies in Ireland surveyed by IT consultancy Choose Portal have failed to invest significantly in long-term R&D. Enterprise Ireland's Going Global Fund is open for applications between now and March 12, with grants of up to €25,000 available. MasterCard is to expand its presence in Dublin with a new global office for the company's technology operations. The new headquarters will create an additional 130 high-skilled jobs over the next four years, bringing its total number of Irish employees to around 200. The government has launched its annual Action Plan for Jobs. It contains 270 actions to be implemented in 2012 by all 15 government departments as well as 36 state agencies. Business management software company Sage Ireland is encouraging business owners to experience cloud software with the launch of its Sage in the Cloud campaign. Freefalling consumer sentiment and muted feelings about return to growth are reflected in the latest annual Alternatives marketing watch survey, published recently. Davy Research continues its award-winning run into 2012, as it was voted the top equity research team in Ireland at the Institutional Investor's all-Europe research tam 2012 survey. With over 8,000 civil servants due to take early retirement by the end of February, Seiko has devised a novel means of marking the occasion. Irish venture capital firms could run short of funds in 2012, the Irish Venture Capital Association has warned. Firms operating in the services sector endured another tough month in January, with significant job cuts reported. AIB has launched its Job Creation Loan for small and medium businesses. Activity in the Irish manufacturing sector contracted in January for the third consecutive month. Mail and courier company DX Ireland is to deploy 35 ParcelXchange lockers throughout Ireland and Northern Ireland, following a €500,000 investment in hardware and software to support the service. News that the unemployment rate fell to 14.2% in January has been met with renewed calls for the government to implement a more substantial jobs initiative. Nine out of 10 CFOs believe that Budget 2012 did not go far enough in delivering on public service reform, while the VAT increase will impact negatively on the Irish economy, according to a Deloitte survey. IBEC is urging the government to come up with a more robust jobs strategy to help tackle the economic challenges faced by Ireland Investec Ireland has agreed a deal to buy stockbroker NCB in a deal worth €32.3m. The agreement is subject to approval by the financial regulator. Enterprise Ireland is seeking applications for the next round of its Competitive Start Fund. Ernst & Young is urging the Irish public to maintain faith in the future and confidence in the country's entrepreneurs to spearhead economic recovery. DCU's Ryan Academy and the Irish Technology Leadership Group (ITLG) have partnered to deliver Kauffman entrepreneurship and innovation programmes in Ireland and Silicon Valley. A series of information events aimed at promoting the idea of overseas and cross-border trade has been organised for February and March by Ulster Bank and smallbusinesscan.com. The 2012 Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI) Awards have been launched, making €600,000 in funding and support available to the eventual three award-winners in October. Following on from its successful first outing in 2011, the Entrepreneur Experience initiative has been launched for 2012. Due to take place in Kinsale, county Cork, over March 30 and 31, it was launched by Minister for Small Business John Perry. Software firm Sage has launched Sage One Payroll to help businesses put effective payroll systems in place for the year ahead. OKI Ireland has secured a major contract with Chain Reaction Cycles (CRC) to supply its printing needs in general office, marketing and despatch. After a disastrous last week on the Irish jobs front, Minister Richard Bruton was keen to point to the positives today. Over half (59%) of SME owner-managers in Ireland say that the sate of the economy has affected their personal lives, according statistics released today. Beauchamps Solicitors is to acquire Landwell Solicitors, the Irish branch of the international network of corporate law firms connected to PwC, for an undisclosed sum. Insurance companies were hit with a €127m bill for commercial and business damage caused by last October's floods. A new Enterprise Ireland fund to help stimulate startups and create jobs in the south-east has been announced by jobs minister Richard Bruton. Production for manufacturing industries for November 2011 fell sharply on October's figures, coming in at 10.3% lower, according to CSO data. A challenging year for the commercial market in 2011 might be eased by more positive soundings for 2012, according to DTZ Sherry Fitzgerald. Allergan Pharmaceuticals Ireland, which manufactures Botox amongst other products, has announced that it will invest over €270m in its Westport site to expand development and manufacturing capabilities. Internet movie and tv subscription service Netflix officially launches in the UK and Ireland today, offering free one-month trials to new users. Jobs minister Richard Bruton's consolidation plans for the five existing employment rights institutions sees the introduction of a new website, a single point of contact and a single complaint form, all announced today. Blacknight, the largest registrar of dot ie domains, is offering special discounts on a broad range of domain names and hosting until the end of January. A €16.5m investment in medical devices firm Cook Ireland is on the way for the company's Limerick plant, which will fund the establishment of a research and development lab there over four years. Activity in the services sector contracted for the first time in 11 months in December, although the rate of decline was only slight, according to NCB's PMI. Almost half of HR managers and business leaders in Ireland are looking towards 2012 with more positivity than 2011, according to a Morgan McKinley salary survey. Residential property prices fell by almost one fifth during 2011, according to the latest report from Daft.ie. The final month of 2011 was another disappointing one for Irish manufacturing firms with NCB's PMI for the sector showing that operating conditions deteriorated for the second consecutive month. Proposals are now being invited for phase two of the Technology Transfer Strengthening Initiative (TTSI), which will support research projects that have commercial potential. Confidence levels among the SME sector are at their lowest ebb in two years, according to a fourth-quarterly business trends survey from ISME. Charities, community groups and social entrepreneurs nationwide benefitted from Diageo Ireland's munificence to the tune of over €980,000 in 2011. The importance of the Irish export trade is again evident in Enterprise Ireland's end of year statement, which reports record levels of exports achieved in 2011. Bord na Móna is to create 91 new jobs as part of a €6m R&D investment over the next three years, it has been announced today. The see-sawing trends in Irish business optimism are continuing this month, with research published by Microsoft Ireland indicating that 59% of SMEs owners here expect the business environment to improve over the next 12 to 18 months. One in three businesses say a lack of finance for investment is constraining their business, according to a new survey. Irish employees might grumble about it while the boss isn't listening, but almost half of them will work through the end-of-year festive break anyway, according to a workplace trends survey by Regus. Cork-based digital publisher EPub Direct has secured €1.3m in equity funding led by the NCB Ventures-managed Ulster Bank Diageo Venture Fund. A eurozone recession now looks increasingly likely in the first half of 2012, which could see Irish exports growth fall to 3%, according to Ernst & Young. A campaign against the impending household and water charges got underway in the shadow of Leinster House today, as an array of independent and left-leaning politicians called a press briefing to urge a public boycott. The value of exports in October this year was unchanged compared to the same month last year at €7.5bn. Four out of five hotels in Ireland do not cater for non-English-speaking tourists on their websites, according to figures furnished by global translations agency Cipherion Translations. The country's largest media agency Core Media has acquired rival Mediaworks in a deal reported to be worth up to €3m. Despite a significant jump in internet access among the Irish populace, just over a fifth (21%) of individuals here aged between 16 and 74 admit that they have never used the internet. Ten new jobs are in the pipeline for Limerick-based company EpiSensor, after it secured funding of €850,000 for its cost-effective wireless sensor technology products. Employers in Ireland predict a sluggish hiring pace from January to March 2012, according to the results of a Manpower employment outlook survey. The improving trends noted in the Irish labour market veered downwards in Q3 2011, as the unemployment rate hits 14.4%. Recent budget measures to assist those in negative equity are misjudged and likely to result in blanket relief for those who don't need it, according to Trusted Advisor Group broker Kevin McNerney. Despite the virtually taboo status bestowed upon bonus pay by public opinion, over half of companies are likely to be awarding some form of it at year's end, according to a survey by recruitment consultancy firm Morgan McKinley. The two-act budget drama has been garnering swift reviews from various business groups this week, with rebukes and welcomes in plentiful supply. Justice minister Alan Shatter has announced that the government is abandoning its commitment to abolish upward only rent review clauses in existing business leases. Billed as "the progressive new home for adult entertainment online", the much-publicised .XXX domain is now available for registrations on, ahem, a first come, first served basis. The impact of budget measures can be quickly calculated via a new mobile web app, which has just been launched by KPMG. Eircom has just completed a newly designed and upgraded contact centre technology platform, working closely with financial services company Fexco. Irish private sector services activity rose for the eleventh month running in November, with expectations of further increases over the coming 12 months, according to NCB Stockbrokers' November PMI survey. The grim parade of company insolvencies is continuing to gather pace, with November's tally, at 165, the highest number of insolvencies this year, according to InsolvencyJournal.ie. The European Commission has today presented a package of measures to boost research, innovation and competitiveness in Europe. Fianna Fáil presented its budget 2012 proposals at a press conference in Dublin this morning, emphasising the "modest" nature of some of its cuts in what was a brisk media engagement. The majority of SME bank credit requests were approved during the period from April to September this year, according to an independent report commissioned by the Department of Finance. The European Commission has approved the Employment & Investment Incentive Scheme (EIIS), which replaces the BES scheme and is aimed at making it easier for SMEs to raise funding. Irish senior executives are expressing positivity about the economy's prospects in the coming 12 months, according to survey results published today. An overwhelming majority of businesses see the demonstration of business credibility through public exposure as being the most important factors when entering business awards, a recent survey indicates. A new energy initiative in the mid-west is expected to generate €2m worth of incremental revenue and create up to 10 high-end jobs over the next 18 months. Ballyhaunis agri-machinery manufacturer Agrispread emerged as overall winner of the 15th annual National Enterprise Awards at a function in Dublin Castle yesterday. Snap, the printing, design and marketing group, is offering new entrepreneurs the chance to win a 'Launch Your Business' package to the value of €10,000. Jameson Irish Whiskey secured the Bord Bia Food and Drink Export Award for 2011, it was announced at a ceremony in Trinity College last night. Irish manufactured good have lost more than 6% in term of their costs over the last two years, according to a new, detailed study from Investec Bank Ireland. The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) is calling on the government to implement a series of measures to save jobs, businesses and livelihoods in the hospitality sector in the upcoming Budget, as latest official figures revealed that the pub trade turnover is down 6.7% year to date. Would-be entrepreneurs in the country's student body are being targeted by Enterprise Ireland this week, via the 30th annual 'Think Outside The Box Awards' competition. Bank of Ireland has announced details of its fifth advice and support initiative for SMEs, entitled National Enterprise Week. Some good news for the beleaguered construction industry has been announced in Waterford, where an estimated 200 jobs in the sector are expected to be created during the construction of a €10.5m sports arena at WIT. Fianna Fáil has marked 250 days of Fine Gael and Labour in Government with an online campaign to highlight the two parties' growing list of broken promises. Web Reservations International (WRI) founder Ray Nolan was crowned 'Internet Hero' last night, at the eircom Spider Awards ceremony in Dublin's Convention Centre. The popular online awards event was hosted by comic Dara O'Briain. Applications are now being invited for Arthur Guinness Fund (AGF) 2012, which awards viable social entrepreneurial initiatives across Ireland. Almost half of multinationals in Ireland expect to grow employment numbers in the next 12 months, according to the Irish Management Institute/National Irish Bank Survey of Multinational Corporations 2011. A daily, non-stop service from Dublin to Washington has just been announced by United Airlines (UA). Despite the downturn, Irish consumers are expected to spend more than any other country in Europe this Christmas, according to a survey by Deloitte. Dublin Aerospace's workforce is expected to more than double by 2013, following the official opening of its new €4.5m landing gear centre. The number of insolvencies in the opening ten months of 2011 was 6% higher than the same period last year, according to statistics released by InsolvencyJournal.ie. Details of a new €10m startup fund to draw international entrepreneurs to Ireland have been announced by jobs minister Richard Bruton. Five startups have been shortlisted for the final round of the ESB Electric Ireland Spark of Genius Award RTÉ is to launch a new multi-platform campaign on television, radio, print and online that aims to highlight how the public can support Irish jobs in the face of high unemployment. Another day, another survey. The latest one to be published on employee satisfaction is offered up by Mercer, which has found that more than one in three (35%) Irish workers may be seriously considering leaving their job. Organisers of the eircom Spider Awards have released the shortlist for this year's competition, the winners of which will be announced on November 10. A €7.2m investment in research and development, along with the expansion of its production capacity, is expected to create 79 new jobs at Leitrim medical devices firm VistaMed. The decline of Irish retail sales accelerated in the third quarter of 2011 compared with the previous quarter, according to a Retail Excellence Ireland (REI) report. Entrepreneurs from Galway, Cork and Dublin took top honours in the Network Ireland Businesswomen of the Year awards, held in Dublin Castle today (21/10/11). The second instalment of 24 The Web, an initiative which involves volunteers donating 24 consecutive hours to build complete websites for non-profit organisations, will be sponsored this year by Irish registrar and hosting company Blacknight. With Budget 2012 looming, VAT returns and taxes on property will become the government's increasing option of choice to generate revenue, according to a KPMG report. Insurer Aviva is to cut 950 jobs from its operations in Ireland, the company has announced. Tote Ireland has launched Tote Mobile, a mobile betting pplication that offers safe and secure live betting into Irish and UK Tote Horse Racing pools. Tote Mobile is compatible for Android and iPhone. Nightline, the courier and parcel delivery service, has warned retailers to watch out for criminals as they accept deliveries in advance of the busy Christmas period. Enterprise minister Richard Bruton has announced the 15 successful companies that have been awarded funding under Enterprise Ireland's Competitive Start Fund for software startups. An appeal has been launched for dynamic women to take part in the latest cycle of Going for Growth - a unique programme aimed at helping Irish female entrepreneurs develop their businesses. Unfulfilled by your current job? Thinking of leaving? Over three-quarters of IT professionals across Ireland are, according to the results of a survey by recruitment firm Archer Specialist Recruitment. Production growth in the Irish manufacturing sector was up 11.4% in August, according to the latest CSO figures. Tourism minister Leo Varadkar has presented proposals for the biggest tourism initiative ever staged in Ireland. 'The Gathering' will be a year-long event in 2013 The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association has castigated the government after it announced today that it will publish a jobs strategy in January 2012. The Global Irish Economic Forum, which is taking place in Dublin Castle this Friday and Saturday, October 7 and 8, is to be delivered live via a television broadcast video feed by Irish company AirSpeed Telecom (AT), a major publicity coup for the firm. Etihad Airways has announced a recruitment drive to find at least 100 new Irish employees. The firm - UAE's national airline - says that the jobs are needed to support its growth around the world. Employers who need a little extra effort from their staff will find them overwhelmingly obliging, but not very effective if they're stressed, according to findings from a new report. Fastway Couriers, Ireland's leading franchised courier operator, says it will transform the courier landscape for small and startup businesses with the introduction of their online service, PostPlus. Exchequer returns in the period up to the end of September record a deficit of almost €20.7bn, with bank recapitalisation accounting for the increase last year's total of €13.4 over the same period. Rising business costs and falling redundancy levels were among the trends noted over the last year by members of Accounting Technicians Ireland (ATI), according to the institute's 2011 business sentiment survey. The export sector continues to be the only area showing signs of recovery for Irish business, while confidence remains low, according to ISME's third-quarterly business trends survey. The government said it has allocated an additional €3.1m to the County and City Enterprise Boards directly to fund job creation projects in the remaining months of 2011. An additional 75 jobs will be created by business information providers Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) in Dublin by 2012, the company has announced. Irish firms are resorting to using credit cards and bank overdrafts to fund the export of their goods, according to a study by invoice financier Bibby Financial Services. Staking its claim in the broadband arena, Vodafone has just launched its Performance Pro product, which claims to be the fastest mobile broadband on the market. Echoing the positive sounds expressed by medi-tech firms of late, PharmaChemical Ireland (PCI) has just published a report highlighting Ireland's enduring FDI appeal. While the small and micro-business sector frets for its future amid the country's economic difficulties, seven out of ten medical technology firms in Ireland expressed confidence in their own business, according to the Irish Medical Device Association (IMDA). Jobs remain in scarce supply amongst the business sector in Ireland and are likely to remain so, says InterTrade Ireland (ITI). Coca-Cola's new €200m manufacturing facility in Wexford will create a total of 100 new jobs, 65 of which have been already filled, the company announced at is opening today (September 16). Blink and you'll miss it: the Europa Academy in Swords will facilitate a one-day 'pop-up bank' on September 28, as part of the Fingal Enterprise Week programme of events. Mercury Engineering has adopted virtualisation technology from Citrix to keep its global workforce connected to software applications regardless of where they are in the world. Some 250 jobs are to be created by a Cork-based technology company over the next three years, it has been announced. With business groups and banks still at loggerheads over the issue of credit availability, the County and City Enterprise Boards (CCEB) have rowed in on the side of small businesses. The survival prospects of thousands of businesses are threatened by the high level of local authority commercial rates and charges, according to a new action group set up to campaign for change. With over half of Irish businesses reportedly in the dark about what cloud computing means, members of the public are faring no better when it comes to financial terms, according to a recent report. John Trethowan, who heads up the Credit Review Office, has crticised the methodology of lobby group ISME's quarterly Credit Watch survey. Members of the Irish Waste Management Association (IWMA) are mystified at plans by environment minister Phil Hogan to rewrite the rules for waste collection services. Exports remained the driving force behind Ireland's services sector in August, according to NCB's PMI. Some 80% of Irish people are actively saving, according to findings from EBS's quarterly consumer savings sentiment research. The self-employed are being discriminated against in the social welfare system, according to ISME chief executive Mark Fielding. The concept of cloud technology does not compute with over half of Irish businesses, according to the results of an O2 survey. Ireland is suffering from a shortage of high skilled software developers, according to the managing director of a Dublin-based international software development company. It's either a dream job or a poison chalice, but in any case it pays well: the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is currently looking for candidates to fill the position of secretary general. There was little change in the number of people signing on in August, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office. Dublin City Council says it is is astonished at the level of misrepresentation within the Irish Business Against Litter report issued today. The pressure on Ireland's retailers hightened further during July, with figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showing a further drop in the value of sales. New data from the Central Bank shows that 7.2% of private residential mortgage accounts are in arrears for more than 90 days. Bank of Ireland and AIB are both experiencing a slowing demand for credit from SMEs, making it a challenge for them to each reach their €3bn target for loan delivery this year, according to John Trethowan of the Credit Review Office (CRO). Court judgments against companies in the Republic of Ireland over failure to pay bills continued to rise in the second quarter of 2011, with the construction sector accounting for the largest number of cases, amounting to €9.6m. Absenteeism in the workplace is costing companies up to €1.5bn yearly, according to an IBEC survey just released. Public Service Obligation (PSO) contracts for regional air services on Donegal/Dublin and Kerry/Dublin routes will set the government back €7.6m per annum, it has been announced. Energy Minister Pat Rabbitte, ESB chief Padraig McManus and Giovanni De Santi, director of the Institute for Energy and Transport at the European Commission, will feature among the speakers lined up for an all-island conference on energy efficiency and job creation on September 1. The highest seasonally adjusted trade surplus yet recorded were realised in June, according to CSO figures. Poor broadband quality is hamstringing companies that want to increase their online sales, according to a survey compiled by the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association (ISME). Irish consumers - traditionally non-confrontational when it comes to purchasing - are finding their voices in increasing numbers, according to the National Consumer Agency (NCA). You wouldn't tell it through casual observation but Ireland had the lowest annual inflation rate in Europe through July, according to figures released by Eurostat. The shortlist for the 2011 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Awards has been announced, spanning nine categories and including over 50 companies. The government is "reneging on its responsibilities" by not adequately tackling the increasing "government-controlled" business cost base, according to the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises (ISME) association. Irish consumer sentiment continued to weaken in July, according to the latest KBC Bank Ireland/ESRI Consumer Sentiment Index (CSI). Two significant business acquisitions in the Irish market have just been announced, as Valeo Foods added the Jacob Fruitfield Food Group to its big-brand portfolio, while Irish data centre provider Data Electronics has been acquired by UK-based Telecity Group. New business and employment figures in Ireland's private sector businesses have fallen for the third month in a row, according to figures published an NCB Stockbrokers survey. Bord Gáis has announced the appointment of Dave Kirwan as managing director of Bord Gáis Energy (BGE). Ryanair's Michael O'Leary is on the warpath again, lambasting Ireland's inability to increase airport passenger numbers and calling for the Dublin Airport Authority and the Department of Transport to be scrapped Bord Bia has launched its Food and Drink Industry Awards 2011, which it claims will "recognise excellence in export development, branding, innovation, sustainability, entrepreneurship and success on the domestic market". A new production facility owned by the Blue Haven Food Company has been officially opened at Little Island, Cork, where 15 jobs have also been created. VHI Healthcare has unveiled details of a new private health insurance plan, specifically targeted at sports enthusiasts. The postal sector in Ireland has been opened to full competition following the signing into law of the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act 2011. Money earmarked for Ireland through the structural fund system is to be made more quickly accessible by the European Commission (EC) AIB has announced that it has agreed to sell its international financial services business to the Capita Group Plc for a consideration of €33m. The deal is subject to approval by the appropriate regulatory authorities in Ireland, Luxembourg and The Netherlands. A total of 971 company insolvencies were recorded for the first seven months of 2011, culminating in 152 insolvencies in July, according to statistics released by InsolvencyJournal.ie. The Irish manufacturing sector suffered a second consecutive monthly fall in production levels through July, according to statistics published by NCB Stockbrokers Ltd. Confidence for the future remains high among Cork businesses according to a survey just published, which shows that over three-quarters of those surveyed had no serious concerns regarding their financial future. A significant reduction in multinational sector job losses for the year to date has given IDA Ireland some cause for optimism A €50m investment announced for a Limerick facility is expected to create up to 100 highly skilled jobs over the next five years. Ongoing difficulties in the economy continue to erode the confidence of Irish businesses, according to KBC Bank Ireland/Chartered Accountants Ireland Business Sentiment Survey Small suppliers to Superquinn should be paid for goods supplied prior to the banks putting in a receiver, according to the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association. EU Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn has unveiled a €7 billion grants package to kick-start innovation through research across Europe A survey by lobby group ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, has revealed that commercial rates are posing a threat to over 40% of SME businesses, with almost three out of ten unable to pay their current rates. The Minister for Finance has published some of the suggestions sent in by members of the public in response to his call for suggestions on how to improve the number of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises applying for credit. Confidence among small and medium enterprises dipped during the second quarter of the year, according to ISME's quarterly survey. Activity in the services sector continued to rise in June, despite a second consecutive monthly drop in new business. Allied Irish Banks has formally completed the acquisition of EBS Building Society but the two instiutions will continue to operate as standalone entities. A total of 820 firms were declared involvent during the first six months of 2011, according to InsolvencyJournal.ie. The average price of a second-hand property in Dublin fell by 6.2% in the second quarter of the year, according to Sherry FitzGerald. Ireland's embattled retailers continued to struggle in May, according to the Central Statistics Office. The number of people claiming dole benefits rose by almost 3,000 (0.7%) in June compared with May, according to the Central Statistics Office. Sentiment among Irish businesses improved further during the second quarter, according to the Small Firms Association. Irish residential property prices fell by 12.2% in the year to May, unchanged from the annual decline recorded in April, according to the Central Statistics Office's Residential Property Price Index. Dublin software development firm Tekenable, has announced the opening of a new trading office in Dubai. Aer Lingus has announced ten new routes as part of its winter schedule for 2011/2012 including a weekly connection from Cork to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, starting October 30 The ReThink Group plc has bought Cork's Berkley Recruitment Group for an initial consideration is €2.65 million with additional deferred consideration of up to €4.125 million on the earnout. Irish postal services firm Citypost has announced the acquisition of Dublin-based direct mail distribution company Publicity Mailing. Financial details were not disclosed. The pace of consumer price rises slowed in May, according to the Central Statistics Office. Residential property prices fell by 12.2% in the year to April this year, up from 11.9% in March, according to the Residential Property Price Index published by the Central Statistics Office. Sage Ireland has launched Sage Foreign Exchange, a free global payment service aimed at allowing businesses or individuals to make foreign currency transfers when paying suppliers overseas. Jobs minister Richard Bruton has detailed the latest companies that have received backing from Enterprise Ireland after bening selected as high potential startup companies. Unemployment ticked higher through May, with 441,000 people claiming dole payments the standardised unemployment rate increasing to 14.8%. The Irish manufacturing sector lost momentum inMay, with growth rates of both output and new orders slowing markedly over the month, while firms cut employment and purchasing activity even as new export orders continued to expand. Retail sales were very weak through April, according to the Central Statistics Office, with the overall value of sales falling by 0.7% compared with March. Meteor has followed up its recent slashing of roaming call and text charges with a major reduction in the fees it will charge customers for data usage while roaming in the EU. Commercial Wireless, Ireland's largest independent mobile communications solutions provider, has announced a new partnership with the UK's leading provider of managed communications services, Azzurri Communications. The latest repport from the Credit Review Office has highlighted the Catch 22 situation banks find themselves in when considering finance requests from troubled SMEs Coinciding with President Obama's visit, research launched today by law firm Matheson Ormsby Prentice (MOP) reveals that US sentiment towards Ireland as a place to do business remains one of the strongest in the world. Bank of Ireland's National Enterprise Week will consist of advice led events featuring a number of industry speakers, showcasing opportunities for SMEs in branches and a series of CEO/Director breakfasts. Three hundred business people have attended the launch in Dublin today of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce. Despite the close economic ties between Ireland the Britain, the two countries there has never been an official link at Chamber level. Social enterprise has the potential to create 25,000 jobs in Ireland over the next five years, according to communcations minister Pat Rabbitte. Property prices have fallen by 40% nationally since their peak in 2007 and by 47% in Dublin, according to a new national Residential Property Price index published by the Central Statistics Office. Independent invoice finance provider Bibby Financial Services Group has announced a sharp rise in profits for 2010. AIB has launched an offer to buy out outstanding subordinated bonds that could see holders of those debt instruments suffer a €2 billion write-off. Nationwide rents rose by half a percent (0.5%) on average in the first three months of 2011, according to the latest report published by the property website, Daft.ie. A campaign has been launched which aims to get Irish businesses online. Entries are now being taken for the ninth annual All-island Seedcorn Business Competition which carries a top prize of €100,000. The number of people signing on the Live Register fell slightly in April, resulting in the unemployment rate falling marginally to 14.6%, from 14.7% in March. Meteor has announced the abolition of roaming charges in Europe, meaning that Irish users can avail of the same rates for calls and texts as they currently enjoy at home. Growth in activity in the Irish services sector slowed for the second consecutive month in April. Activity in the Irish manufacturing sector increased during April buoyed by a notable rise in new export orders, according to NCB's purchasing managers' index. The children of the 1980s - Generation Y - still expect starting salaries broadly in line with previous expectation levels recorded at the height of the Celtic Tiger in 2007. Despite this a new report on Generation Y by Deloitte revealed that three quarters of this group are worried about their jobs with almost one third stating they have plans to emigrate. Retail sales were 3% lower in the first quarter of 2011 than they were in the same period last year, according to Retail Excellence Ireland's (REI) Irish Retail Industry Performance Review Q1 2011. Smart Start, the new accelerator programme for high potential start-ups, has awarded five companies €12,000 in seed funding and a four month programme of business and financial mentoring. Final approval has been given by the government for the commencement of the Electric Vehicle grant scheme. Pockets of the commercial property market are performing better than last year but uncertainty surrounding legislative changes to upward only rent reviews are compounding market nervousness, according to DTZ Sherry FitzGerald. IBEC's latest Quarterly Sentiment Survey has found that while confidence in the overall business environment remains weak, managers' perceptions about the outlook for their own business improved substantially in Q1 to +19 from +7 in Q4 2010. Experienced and professional individuals who are eager to rejoin the workforce have the opportunity to take up some 300 work placements provided by Begin Again, a career advancement programme developed by the Irish Centre for Business Excellence. Compliance and data protection will be the main themes at a conference in Dublin next month, organised by mailroom equipment provider Neopost Ireland and the Irish Direct Marketing Association (IDMA). Fund It, the crowdfunding platform launched last month by the the not-for-profit Business to Arts organisation, claims that it has attracted pledges of support totalling €25,000 from the general public for ten projects and creative ideas. Smart Start, a new accelerator programme for high potential startups, has announced the first five Irish companies to receive its funding and support. Activity in the services sector rose for the third consecutive month in March, albeit at a much slower pace than in previous months, according to the latest NCB PMI. The Eurozone economy is growing at a much slower pace than expected at this stage of a recovery with GDP estimated to increase by only 1.5% this year, according to Ernst & Young's Spring Eurozone Economic Forecast (EEF). The average price of a second hand property in Dublin has now fallen by 56% since the peak, according to Sherry Fitzgerald. An average of six companies went bust every day in Ireland during the first quarter of 2011, according to new statistics released by Insolvency Journal. The contract valued at €320,000 gives Belfast based Pi Communications responsibility for providing the televising of paraliamentery proceedings in the Dáil and Senate. Pi Communications already operates the broadcasting contract for the Northern Ireland Assembly. Strong motor sales helped mask another disappointing month for Ireland's retailers in February, according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office. Ten startups have been awards €50,000 each under Enterprise Ireland's new Internet and Games Competitive Start Fund. Businessman Denis O'Brien has called on the judiciary to investigate the conduct of Justice Michael Moriarty and his Tribunal legal team for the manner in which they conducted themselves in investigating the award of a mobile phone licence to Esay Digifone. Uncertainty around tax relief and the current economic climate are forcing private pension investors to reduce or cease their pension contributions, according to Eunan O'Carroll, sales and marketing director at Friends First. Around one in four firms expect to increase employee numbers during 2011, according to the Small Firms Association first quarterly 2011 Jobs Sentiment Survey. Small and medium businesses in Ireland are finding it harder than ever to access bank funding, according to the latest ISME Quarterly Bank Watch Survey issued by the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association. The rate of inflation rose to its highest level in almost two and a half years in February, according to the Central Statistics Office. Irish employers have been urged not to entertain claims for pay increases this year by business lobby group IBEC. Morgan McKinley's Employment Monitor has reported that new job opportunities for professionals in Ireland decreased by 2% to 7,100 in February. However, the figure was a 26% lift on the February 2010 total. Ireland's dole queues increased for the third consecutive month through February, according to the Central Statistics Office. A strong start to 2011 continued for Irish manufacturers in February, according to NCB's PMI for the sector. Irish retailers endured a weak start to 2011, according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office. Ernst & Young is predicting that if oil prices were to stay at $120 per barrel, Ireland's GDP will fall by nearly 3% this year. The Propeller Accelerator, part of the DCU Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship, has released details of the first group of companies funded and supported under its mentor-led programme. Profitero is a newly launched web service that monitors online competitors' information and empowers retailers with accurate data with which retailers can set their prices and increase sales. The Ulster Bank Irish Franchise Association EXPO takes place in Croke Park, Dublin, today Feb.25 and tomorrow Feb.26. H+A Marketing in Cork has bought Impact Media, which has offices in Galway and Limerick, H&A said the combined business will employ 36 people and have annual turnover of €5 million. Aer Lingus has agreed to make a settlement for €32.5 million with the Revenue Commisisoners over a redundancy programme in 2009 which saw affected employees rehired by the airline The value of exports was 21% higher in December 2010 than in the same month a year earlier, according to provisional figures released by the Central Statistics Office. Occupancy rates in Dublin hotels were 5.6% higher in 2010 than they were in 2009 but average room rates tumbled, according to figures from STR Global. Eight out of ten Irish businesses do not anticipate a decrease in the cost of doing business over the next 12 months, according to a survey by InterTradeIreland. Fine Gael's plan for an annual levy on all private pension funds brings the whole idea of a stealth tax to a new level, according to Fianna Fáil minister Eamon Ó Cuív. Fine Gael has promised to introduce a capital gains tax on the sale of the family home. Another manifesto novelty is an annual 0.5% levy on the value of an individual's pension fund The number of people claiming unemployment benefit fell by almost 7,000 in January, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office. The Irish Franchise Association has named its list of finalists for the 2011 Ulster Bank Irish Franchise Association Awards. Jim Luby of McStay Luby has been appointed receiver of Tribune Newspapers plc, publisher of the Sunday Tribune. Irish consumer sentiment improved modestly in January due to improved weather and the post-Christmas sales, according to the KBCI/ESRI Consumer Sentiment Index. The number of firms going out of business fell by 13% on an annual basis in January, according to figures released by InsolvenyJournal.ie. Activity in the Irish manufacturing sector grew at the fastest rate in more than ten years in January, driven by a surge in production and new orders. The value of retail sales in December plunged to its lowest level since last July as shoppers stayed away due to the icy weather. UK sports retailer JD Sports has agreed a deal to buy Dublin-based rival Champion Sports. Financial details were not disclosed. Retail Excellence Ireland is predicting that over 400 retail stores will close during January 2011. The main details of the impact of Finance Bill 2011 on incomes are outlined here in this analysis by Deloitte. Around one in ten Irish firms intend to recruit new staff in the first quarter of 2011, according to the Small Firms Association Winter Jobs Sentiment Survey. Almost two thirds of recent graduates and industry professionals are considering emigrating to find employment, according to research by Innovo Training & Development and the Institute of Technology, Tallaght. Taoiseach Brian Cowen has told the Dáil that the General Election will take place on Friday, 11 March. Consumer prices continued to move higher in December last year, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office. US software firm Quest Software is to establish an international shared services centre in Cork, creating 150 jobs over the next three years. Commercial property deals in Ireland totalled €242m in 2010, an increase of 163% on 2009 levels, according to the Dublin office of CB Richard Ellis Group. Irish consumer sentiment weakened in December, while 70% of consumers indicated that their personal finances worsened during 2010, according to the KBC/ESRI Consumer Sentiment Index. The number of tourists visiting Ireland from overseas fell back to 1998 levels last year, according to Failte Ireland. Social Entrepreneurs Ireland is seeking applications for its 2011 Social Impact Programme. Irish-owned medical technology firm ClearStream Technologies is to create 70 new jobs in Wexford under a major expansion plan. Entries are being sought for the Ulster Bank sponsored Irish Franchise Awards, which take place next month. The number of persons signing on the Live Register resumed its upward trend in December following three months of declines. The value of Irish exports soared by 7% to €161bn in 2010 - their highest ever level, according to the Irish Exporters Association. Ulster Bank has teamed up with Dublin City Council and Dublin City Enterprise Board to set up a Business Support Programme, including a €10m fund, for startups and early-stage companies. The big freeze which blighted Ireland in December had an adverse hit on Irish service providers, according to NCB's Purchasing Managers' Index. A receiver has been appointed to Celtic Bookmakers, the bookmaking chain owned by Newstalk presenter and former Fine Gael minister Ivan Yates and his wife Deirdre. The average price of a second hand house in Ireland fell by 12% during 2010, according to the Sherry FitzGerald Group. The recovery in the Irish manufacturing sector continued in the final month of 2010 despite the poor weather, according to NCB's Purchasing Managers' Index. An average of thirty companies per week went out bust in Ireland in 2010, according to statistics from insolvencyjournal.ie. Retail Excellence Ireland has warned that December 2010 will be the weakest period of trading in recent history as adverse weather has decimated consumer activity and purchasing. Confidence among Irish SMEs improved in the final three months of 2010 but remains low, according to the results of the fourth quarter ISME Trends Survey. Competition in the Irish broadband market has been cranked up a notch after both Eircom and UPC announced plans to up their speeds. Betbidder.com, an innovative website based on the penny auction concept, has launched in Ireland. SME invoices take an average of 72 days to get paid, according to a survey of 700 small firms by lobby group ISME. However this is an improvement on recent trends. In Q3 2010, Ireland's GDP (0.5%) and GNP (1.1%) increased quarter-on-quarter for the first time since Q4 2007, though both measures contracted on an annual basis, by 0.5% and 1.6% respectively. The eurozone economy has put in a robust performance for much of 2010 but a slowdown is expected next year with GDP growth only reaching 1.4% according to Ernst & Young's winter eurozone forecast (EEF). Deloitte Ireland, the business advisory firm, has acquired Curach Consulting, a leading Irish owned consultancy firm. Curach Consulting provides business advisory, delivery and diagnostic services to a range of blue chip clients across a number of sectors notably the financial services, technology and public sectors. Endeavour, Ireland's leading fast-track programme for startups, has launched its 2011 programme and is seeking to attract high-quality candidates who have a strong ability to succeed in the entrepreneurial world. Dublin-based Fusion Nutraceuticals, which claims to have developed a next-generation sugar, is seeking €750,000 from BES investors to finance the development and commercialisation of its patented product. Salaries are expected to stabilise and bonuses are to return, therefore increasing overall remuneration in 2011, according to the annual salary survey compiled by recruitment agency Brightwate.r ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, says that while thre has been a a reduction in the number of enterprises requesting new facilities from their banks in the last quarter, there has been an improvement the success rate in accessing credit from the banks. Finance Minister Brian Lenihan has outlined in the Dail a range of tax increases and spending cuts in his Budget 2011 The Irish Hotels Federation has slammed local authorities for the way in which they are dealing with businesses struggling to pay their 2010 rates bills. The Live Register of unemployment benefit claimants fell by 4,600 through November to 425,000, according to the CSO. The latest LR total is a 42,000 decline from the August peak of 467,000 and the lowest level since a year ago. A new fund has been set up by Enterprise Ireland to help internet and games startups get off the ground. A report from Lombard Street Research commissioned by the Construction Industry Federation has criticised NAMA as a flawed idea and a failure. Irish consumers remain cautious about the future prospects for the economy, according to the KBC Ireland/ESRI Consumer Sentiment Index. The value of retail sales increased by 0.7% through October compared with September but the overall value to retailers was still marginally less than a year previously. Finance Minister Brian Lenihan has outlined some of the main tax measures that will be introduced in Budget 2011 on December 7. ESB and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council's have joined forces to install Sandyford's first charge point for electric vehicles. Leading Irish professional recruitment consultancy Morgan McKinley is to start the hiring process for 20 new staff at a special open day in Dublin on Wednesday 24th November. Chambers Ireland has launched a new information booklet detailing European Union funding programmes aimed at SMEs to support research and innovation that can be availed of by Irish businesses. Ulster Bank has issued a renewed call for entries for its 2010 Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards. The closing date for entries is November 30. UCD Quinn School of Business has launched a new BComm curriculum, which will be implemented in September 2011. Almost half of multinationals in Ireland expect to grow exports in the next 12 months, according to the Irish Management Institute / National Irish Bank Survey of Multinationals 2010. The upward trend in consumer prices continued in October, according to the Central Statistics Office, with the Consumer Price Index rising for the third consecutive month. The Innovation Foundation has launched a new free online tool aimed at assisting companies to grow their business through innovation. Almost one quarter of a million people in Ireland are currently in arrears on their debts, according to research by Debt Advisory Centre, a new business set up to offer advice and support to those in debts. A new ICT research centre is to be opened in Kilkenny by Kilkenny County Council and Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT). Multiple Sclerosis charity MS Ireland is seeking sponsors for its MS Corporate Stars 2010 fundraising initiative. Irish firms landed deals worth over €36m during an Enterprise Ireland trade mission to the Middle East this week, the government has claimed. There was a marginal rebound in activity in the Irish services sector in October, according to NCB's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI). The number of people signing on the Live Register fell again in October for the second consecutive month. There was a further decline in consumer sentiment in October, according to the KBC Ireland/ESRI Consumer Sentiment Index. More than half of chief financial officers are forecasting growth in turnover over the next six months, according to the Deloitte CFO Survey for the third quarter. Begin Again, a career advancement programme developed by the Irish Centre for Business Excellence, is calling on experienced and professional individuals who are eager to rejoin the workforce to join the programme and take advantage of one of the 200 work placements opportunities currently available nationwide. Confidence has improved among employers in Ireland with 41% of employers projecting a salary increase for all staff in 2011. The government has announced a €3.3m funding boost for the country's network of county and city enterprise boards which will be paid out before the end of the year. Three out of five companies expect their employee numbers to remain the same in 2011, according to the latest Jobs Sentiment Survey from the Small Firms Association. Salesforce.com, the enterprise cloud computing company, has announced that it is currently recruiting for more than 100 new jobs. Advertising agencies have agreed to boycott an invitation from Bus Eireann to pitch for the company's advertising account after the state company invited eight agencies to tender. The consumer mood darkened considerably in September, according to the KBC Ireland/ESRI Consumer Sentiment Index. Activity in the Irish services sector contracted in September for the first time in six months, according to the NCB Services Purchasing Managers Index. The number of companies in Ireland becoming insolvent rose sharply in September following a seasonal low in August, according to figures released by InsolvencyJournal.ie. Eircom has announced the launch of its new mobile service, eMobile, which it claims will inject simplicity and value into the Irish mobile phone market. The Arthur Guinness Fund has re-opened for applications. AIB has announced details of a €120m short term working capital fund that is specifically aimed at its small business customers. Financial Services Ireland has launched the IFS CareerStart Programme, a training and work placement initiative for the unemployed. Ulster Bank is offering a new banking package for startups and early stage companies which includes no transaction fees for their first two years with the bank. EBS Building Society is extending the availability of its five month Fixed Term Savings Account with a rate of 3.6% Gross PA (AER 3.64%) until the end of September. Enterprise Ireland claims that a record number of Irish companies are investigating new export markets with 660 Irish companies taking part in Enterprise Ireland's International Markets Week this week. The government has said that it is working on a loan guarantee scheme for viable small businesses. People living in some rural parts of Ireland face paying up to 1,200% more for personal broadband than those living in towns and cities, according to research by bonkers.ie, a new broadband price comparison website. 10/09/10: The organisers of a business seminar at the K Club on September 17 and 18 are offering some attendees to 'pay what you can' Deloitte Ireland said it is to recruit for up to 200 positions across the firm. 08/09/10: The government has rejected a proposal from management at Anglo Irish Bank that the bank should be split into a good bank/bad bank. Irish employers remain some of the most negative in the world when it comes to hiring new staff, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. 08/09/10: The Institute of Advertising Practitioners of Ireland has criticised the Central Statistics Office and Health Services Executive for inviting too many ad agncies to tender for its accounts. 07/09/10: The Irish government's guarantee for short term bank liabilities, including corporate and interbank deposits as well as debt securities, is being extended from its current expiry date of 29 September to 31 December 2010. The government has launched a €1.4m pilot management training fund for SMEs aimed at driving productivity and improving workplace skills. 06/09/10: Business activity at service expanded for the fifth consecutive month through August but the rate of expansion eased to the weakest since May. 03/09/10: Brody Sweeney, who lost control of his coffee and sandwich chain earlier this year, has been named as one of the five finalists in the Your Country Your Call competition. Digital Skills Academy has launched a new initiative aimed at providing Irish businesses with a free website. Applications are being sought for the SFA National Small Business Awards 2011, which will take place in December. 01/09/2010: The Live Register of unemployment benefits claimants increased maginally through August to a new all-time high of 467,000 people Parcel carrier GLS Ireland has launched a new nationwide express delivery service. Activity in the Irish manufacturing sector continued to grow in August, but the pace of growth eased for the third consecutive month. 31/08/10: Ryanair has announced that it will close its Belfast City Airport service at the end of October due to the ongoing delay in the airport building a runway extension. Innovo Training & Development and the Institute of Technology Tallaght have launched a new Enterprise Evolution Programme (EEP). Irish workers remain motivated in the workplace, according to a survey by professional recruitment consultancy, Robert Walters. Cork companies are continuing to invest heavily in training for their employees, according to a recent survey carried out by Cork Chamber. Fingal Enterprise Board have this year decided to extend their Enterprise Day into a week long event, with a number of high profile business figures lined up to offer advice to entrepreneurs. Google has confirmed the immediate creation of 200 new jobs in Ireland, with the establishment of a new operations centre in Dublin. Toyota Ireland has agreed a €5.75m three year extension to its sponsorship of Munster Rugby. The new deal will run until June 2013. TV3's autumn schedule has over 150 hours of new home-produced peak-time programming across all genres, and 40% of the station's will be home-produced, up from 20% three years ago. Bank of Scotland has announced that it is to exit the Irish market altogether after racking up an impairment charge of €2,950 million last year on its €29 billion Irish loan book NovaUCD-based software company SmartBuilder has launched Site Clean Up, an iPhone application to assist building firms of all sizes to clean-up their construction sites more efficiently and cost effectively. Institute of Technology Blanchardstown has launched a new competition offering entrepreneurs space in its LINC incubation centre and mentoring from industry experts for 12 months. Irish businesses who don't offer an online platform to sell their products could be missing out on considerable business. Over 40% of higher level maths students need grinds to cope with the demands of the subject, according to a survey by Engineers Ireland. Davy Stockbrokers John O'Reilly has predicted a looming global food crisis, due as much to the perception of the impact of global warming on crops as the reality. Entrepreneur Nualan O'Brien started her business without doing her homework. She survived the plunge but urges others to look before they leap Credit rating websites such as Creditsafe offer a quick and inexpensive way of knowing who you're doing business with There are many spread trading platforms and they're not all the same. Graeme McQueen reports on the counsel from MarketSpreads, Paddy Power Trader and CMC Markets Amid the excitement and buzz of starting up a new business, it's important to give some thought to what legal form the startup should take. The banks have got a bad press recently but their funding of the Social Finance Foundation has spawned scores of worthwhile micro enterprises Given Ireland's current economic circumstances, everyone on the state payroll and on the state drip is being paid way over the odds. The fact that tax revenues in Q2 were the same as in Q1 at least suggests that the economy has stabilised, but there is absolutely no evidence of growth. A genuine redundancy may be successfully challenged in the Employment Appeals Tribunal if the employer cannot prove fair procedures, writes Aoife Bradley Vodafone and O2 are to charge €20 per month for 3G data plans for the Apple iPad, which will be available for sale in Ireland from next week. Small businesses in Ireland are now waiting an average of 76 days to be paid, according to the ISME Credit Watch Survey for summer 2010. The European Commission has sanctioned the extension of the government's blanket guarantee of retail bank deposits from the end of December to 31 December 2010. Industry group Retail Excellence Ireland has warned that retailers will be under increasing pressure to stay in business over the coming months as rents are kept artificially high by banks transferring impaired property assets to NAMA. Sentient Management, led by corporate finance veteran Martin Cole, has issued a new guide to Management Buy-Outs which is designed to examine how MBOs are typically structured. A new industrial policy document from Fine Gael costed at €18 billion does not contain a single proposal to assist SMEs Ireland's participation in Euro 2012 will boost retail sales to the tune of €250m, according to Retail Excellence Ireland (REI). This is a test. This is a test. 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