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Portugal to get an extra year, until 2015, to get budget deficit below 3%

Portugal secures easier debt targets

Portugal's bailout lenders have agreed to ease its debt-reduction targets amid deteriorating economic prospects, the finance minister said today.

Business • 15 Mar 13

Spain Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy kicks off state of the nation debate

Spain's head out of the water- Rajoy

Spain is on the mend, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy claimed today as he revealed that the budget deficit fell to less than 7% of GDP in 2012, from nearly 9% a year ago.

Business • 20 Feb 13

Laurent Fabius said it was important to avoid 'squeezing what remains of growth'

French minister says meeting deficit goal unlikely

France will probably miss this year's public deficit goal, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said, the first time a member of the government's inner circle has admitted doubts over the policy cornerstone are valid.

Business • 13 Feb 13

Greece says budget deficit to shrink to 4.3% of GDP this year

New Greek forecasts see lower 2013 deficit

Greece has slashed its deficit targets for the next four years following its latest international debt relief deal.

Business • 08 Feb 13

US current account deficit fell in third quarter

The US current account trade deficit narrowed in the July-September quarter to the smallest level since late 2010, but the improvement may not last.

Business • 18 Dec 12

A grant that schools used to receive to help carry out essential repairs was cancelled for 2012 in last year's budget

Dept: restoration of Minor Works grant 'unlikely'

The Department of Education has said it is unlikely that a grant used by schools to maintain their buildings will be restored.

News • 27 Nov 12

More time on deficit if growth slows - OECD

Ireland should be allowed miss deficit targets set as part of an EU/IMF bailout if its economy grows slower than expected.

Business • 28 Nov 12

HSE faces deficit of almost €400m

The Health Service Executive is facing a deficit of €399m, according to its latest performance report to the end of September.

News • 13 Nov 12

Ireland's deficit reduced to 13.4% in 2011

Ireland has reported a drop in its deficit for 2011 to 13.4% from 30.9% in 2010 as the one-off expense of shoring up the banking sector disappeared from the Government's books.

Business • 22 Oct 12

Deficit deadline should not be extended - Gilmore

The Tánaiste has said he does not think Ireland should extend its deadline to reach a 3% Exchequer deficit by 2015.

News • 14 Oct 12

Aer Lingus warns on pension deficit

Aer Lingus has said that if the €748m deficit in its pension scheme is not addressed, members who have not yet retired could receive as little as 4% of the pensions they expected.

Business • 09 Oct 12

Budget deficit last year lower than expected

Revised national income and expenditure figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the budget deficit last year was slightly lower than expected.

Business • 06 Sep 12

Spanish regions rebel against deficit targets

A growing number of Spain's regions are rebelling against government attempts to rein in their spending.

Business • 01 Aug 12

Euro rescue fund will get bank licence - Monti

The euro zone's ESM rescue fund will be granted a banking licence, giving it enough fire power to head off the bloc's debt crisis, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti has said.

Business • 01 Aug 12

Central Bank raises 2012 growth forecasts

The Central Bank has upgraded its forecasts for economic growth this year due to improved domestic prospects, but said external demand remains highly uncertain.

Business • 31 Jul 12

CSO reports current account deficit of €1 billion

New Central Statistics Office figures show that the balance of payments current account was €1.045 billion in deficit in the first quarter of 2012.

Business • 12 Jul 12

EU set to extend Spain's public deficit deadline

The European Commission is set to give Spain an extra year until 2014 to meet an agreed EU public deficit target, a European Union official said today.

Business • 09 Jul 12

France needs up to €10 billion to cut deficit

France must find up to €10 billion to bring its public deficit back to 4.5% of gross domestic product, Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said today.

Business • 25 Jun 12

EU strikes Germany, Bulgaria off deficit blacklist

The European Commission has recommended the removal of Germany and Bulgaria from a list of countries facing the threat of sanctions after they brought their deficits under the EU limit.

Business • 30 May 12

Irish deficit increased to 13.1% of GDP in 2011

Ireland's budget deficit increased to 13.1% of GDP in 2011, due to the recapitalisation of the banks.

News • 23 Apr 12

Ireland had highest deficit in EU last year

Ireland's budget deficit for 2011 has increased, because of the recapitalisation of the banks last year.

Business • 23 Apr 12

NAMA makes €200m profit for 2011

NAMA will make a profit after impairments of €200m, the Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has told the Dáil.

Business • 18 Apr 12

Euro zone current account swings to deficit

The euro zone's current account swung to a deficit of €1.3 billion in February from a surplus of €3.7 billion in January.

Business • 18 Apr 12

Level of savings continues to rise - CSO

The amount of money Irish households are saving increased by over €637m to stand at €12.866 billion in 2011.

Business • 16 Apr 12

China returns to trade surplus in March

China swung back to a trade surplus last month, the official Xinhua news agency said today.

Business • 10 Apr 12