Ireland could face tax fallout after 'Panama Papers'
A UK-based tax specialist has said Ireland should expect some fallout over its low rate of corporation tax on the back of the leak of the 'Panama Papers'.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Richard Murphy said Ireland is seen as a low tax jurisdiction and that the Irish Financial Services Centre does not have the best reputation globally as a result of that.
Mr Murphy said there is the potential for Ireland to suffer reputational damage, particularly if some of those companies that were previously off-shore, move to Ireland.
Iceland names Ag Minister as new PM
Iceland's right-wing coalition government has named Agriculture Minister Sigurdur Ingi Johanssonn as the country's new prime minister, a day after his predecessor was forced to step down over his implication in the Panama Papers scandal.
The Progressive Party and the Independence Party agreed to hand the prime minister post to Mr Johannssonn, 53, replacing Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, 41, Progressive Party MP Hoskuldur Thorhallsson told reporters.
Meanwhile, the country is hold early elections "in autumn".
Galway CC not going to fill flood trench
Galway County Council has said it does not intend to fill in a trench to alleviate flooding near Kinvara.
The channel was dug out in January in order to prevent flood waters affecting a number of homes and farmland in the area.
The Council said it has no plan to reinstate the land around the trench "at this point in time".
Instead, workers are carrying out measures to make the channel safe and to secure side slopes along the channel and to enhance fencing in the area.
The local authority is discussing longer term solutions to flood risk with the Office of Public Works. It says these will be advanced in due course, following consultations with local landowners and statutory bodies.
Men plead guilty to explosive possession
Two men have pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to explosives offences.
Paul Dodd, 29, of St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, Co Longford, pleaded guilty to possession of the component parts of an improvised explosive device at his home.
Dodd also pleaded guilty to the possession of approximately 30 assorted shotgun cartridges at the same address.
His co-accused, Brendan Hope, 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, pleaded guilty to possession of an improvised explosive device at St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, Co Longford on 24 June last year.
Mr Justice Paul Butler remanded Hope in custody until 11 May and Dodd on bail until 13 July for sentencing.
Two NI retail parks sold
Two of the biggest retails parks in Northern Ireland have been sold.
Junction One in Antrim, and The Outlet near Banbridge have been bought for £40 million by the Banbridge-based Lotus Group and real estate management firm Tristan Capital Partners.
The new owners say the Outlet, which is located just off the main Belfast to Dublin road, will be positioned as a premium destination with Junction One moving towards a value market.
Obama: Destroying IS group my 'top priority'
US President Barack Obama has said that destroying the so-called Islamic State group remains his "top priority".
"We continue to take on their leadership, their financial networks, their infrastructure," Mr Obama said at a meeting with senior military officials in the White House.
"As we've seen from Turkey to Belgium, ISIL still has the ability to launch serious terrorist attacks," he added, using another term for the IS group.
Coalition forces must maintain pressure on the insurgents using diplomacy and intelligence as well as military operations, coordinating operations between various branches of government, he said.
Man held over NI army base attack
A 60-year-old man has been arrested by police investigating a bomb attack on a British army base in Northern Ireland.
A small device exploded in the back of a postal van inside Palace Barracks in Holywood, Co Down, last August.
No-one was injured in the attack, which was blamed on dissident republicans.
The man was arrested this morning and is being questioned at a police station in Belfast.
