Government tackles unemployment.

The Irish government is to invest up to €1 billion in an attempt to protect vulnerable jobs in companies which find themselves under financial pressure. The proposal for a new temporary employment subsidy scheme, whereby companies receive payments of up...

Luas passenger decline

In a further sign of the times, passenger numbers using Dublin's tram service, the 'Luas' have fallen by almost 2.5 million so far this year. A statement from the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) has revealed that numbers are down between...

Irish show more support for Lisbon Treaty

The Irish government will be relieved to hear that support for the Lisbon Treaty is beginning to consolidate, as numbers intending to vote yes in the referendum later this year continue to grow. In the Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll, 2,000...

Dublin to have elected mayor

For the first time since the foundation of the state, Dublin will have a directly elected mayor by 2011, with similar powers to those of the mayor of London. Announcing the news, minister for the environment John Gormley said the...

National Gallery Purchases Orpen Painting

The National Gallery of Ireland has acquired a magnificent portrait by Sir William Orpen, of the famous Irish tenor Count John McCormack. Bought in London at Christie's, the gallery paid €404,600 for the work and plans to display it to...