IRELAND COULD BENEFIT FROM BROADBAND FUNDING - Last week a €9.2 billion fund was announced to support investment in fast and very fast broadband networks across Europe.
It is part of the Connecting Europe Facility, and would be used for grants to build the infrastructure needed for us to do everything we're supposed to be doing online by 2020.
Anthony Whelan, chef de cabinet for the Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes, said Ireland was on track for 100% broadband coverage, while Irish businesses were selling more than the EU average online. He said Irish consumers were also becoming used to the potential of higher-speed broadband.
Mr Whelan said funding for broadband would operate through the European Investment Bank, using its triple-A credit rating, and it was up to the Irish telecoms industry to put together projects which could attract such funding.
He said higher-speed broadband would boost public services online, including in areas such as e-health - including monitoring of people with chronic conditions - and e-learning.
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MARKETS WILL WAIT FOR SECOND SUMMIT - Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said he is more hopeful that EU leaders will be able to sign a comprehensive deal on the euro zone crisis, following lengthy discussions at summit in Brussels over the weekend.
Louise Cooper at BGC Partners in London, said European markets were set to open higher this morning, but this was not a "ringing endorsement" after the EU summit. She attributed the rise mainly to stronger manufacturing data from China.
Ms Cooper said markets were looking for concrete proposals, "shock and awe" and "big numbers" from Wednesday's EU summit, but she was sceptical about whether these would be delivered.
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CURRENCIES - The euro is trading at $1.3890 and 87.03p sterling.
