News | Latest Breaking News Stories & Headlines

Michael Noonan speaking to Greece's finance minister Yannis Stournaras at a meeting in July

Eurozone fails to reach agreement on Greek bailout

Eurozone finance ministers have ended their meeting in Brussels without reaching a final agreement on the next batch of bailout aid for Greece.

News • 13 Nov 12

ECB holds interest rate at 0.75%

The European Central Bank expects the eurozone economy to remain poor, its President Mario Draghi said after the bank left interest rates unchanged.

News • 08 Nov 12

Eamon Gilmore said the outcome of the EU summit was a 'game changer'

Kenny, Merkel release joint statement on bank debt

Taoiseach Enda Kenny and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel have issued a joint communiqué saying that Ireland's banking crisis was "unique".

News • 22 Oct 12

Vince Cable said the potential consequences of the failure of the euro were 'incalculable'

MP warns war could result from euro collapse

A British cabinet minister has warned that Europe could be plunged into war if the euro was to collapse.

News • 15 Oct 12

German minister warns against Greek euro exit

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has warned that a Greek exit from the eurozone would damage the country, as well as the zone as a whole.

News • 14 Oct 12

Protesters hold a banner reading 'No to the Fourth Reich' outside the parliament in Athens

Teargas fired as Angela Merkel visits Greece

Greek riot police fired stun grenades and pepper spray to push back protesters throwing stones and petrol bombs in central Athens.

News • 09 Oct 12

European finance ministers are meeting in Luxembourg

No changes to ground rules on Anglo talks - Noonan

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has said the ground rules on negotiating the Anglo promissory notes had not changed.

News • 09 Oct 12

Spain 'ready to request aid' from Troika

Spain is ready to request a eurozone bailout for its public finances as early as next weekend but Germany has signalled that it should hold off, European officials have said.

News • 01 Oct 12

Petrol bombs were thrown at police in the capital

Demonstrators clash with police in Athens

Demonstrators have clashed with police on the streets of Athens and Madrid in an upsurge of popular anger at new austerity measures being imposed on two of the euro zone's most vulnerable economies.

News • 26 Sep 12

Michael Noonan said he had confirmation that the June decisions stand

Dáil hears bank debt deal will be implemented

The Dáil has heard that a deal struck by EU leaders in June on Ireland's bank debt will be implemented.

News • 27 Sep 12

Angela Merkel said financial markets lacked confidence in some eurozone states

Merkel: Markets fear countries may not repay debt

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that financial markets are worried about the ability of some countries in the eurozone to repay their debt.

News • 25 Sep 12

Michael Noonan held one-to-one meetings with various ministers

Spain under pressure to clarify economic strategy

Spain has come under pressure at a meeting of EU Finance Ministers in Cyprus to clarify its economic strategy and what financial assistance it may require.

News • 15 Sep 12

Monti, Hollande call for ECB action on bond yields

France and Italy have piled more pressure on the European Central Bank to agree steps this week to reduce crippling borrowing costs for southern eurozone states.

News • 04 Sep 12

Eurozone unemployment remains at record high

The unemployment rate in the eurozone remained at a record high of 11.3% in July.

News • 31 Aug 12

Mario Monti and Angela Merkel met in the latest round of talks on the eurozone

Merkel reiterates opposition to banking licence

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has underlined her country's resistance to the idea of giving the European Stability Mechanism a banking licence.

News • 29 Aug 12

Officials discussed Greece's attempt to get more time to implement austerity measures

Europe must make decision on Greece - Hollande

French President Francois Hollande has said that Greek leaders must demonstrate their commitment to push through reforms, adding that Europe must take decisions on the country as soon as possible.

News • 27 Aug 12

Despite the public smiles, there was some tough talking between Antonis Samaras and Angela Merkel in Berlin this afternoon

Merkel wants Greece to remain in eurozone

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has reassured Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras that she wants his country to stay in the eurozone.

News • 24 Aug 12

Jean-Claude Juncker and Antonis Samaras held talks in Athens today

Greece faces 'last chance' to cut deficit

Eurogroup President Jean-Claude Juncker has urged Greece to push through austerity cuts, warning that this was the country's last chance to avert bankruptcy.

News • 22 Aug 12

Eurozone economy shrank in second quarter

Official figures show the eurozone economy shrank in the second quarter of the year.

News • 14 Aug 12

ECB buys no bonds as it plans new scheme

The European Central Bank bought no bonds last week as it works out plans to launch a new and more transparent scheme for purchasing sovereign debt.

Business • 13 Aug 12

Mario Draghi said bank preparing a new bond buying programme

ECB keeps eurozone interest rates at 0.75%

The European Central Bank has kept eurozone interest rates steady at 0.75%.

News • 02 Aug 12

German Chancellor Angela Merkel remains popular due to her tough stance on the eurozone

Germans pessimistic about the economy

A survey suggests that more than half of Germans are pessimistic about the economy but support Chancellor Angela Merkel's tough stance on the eurozone.

News • 01 Aug 12

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti (left) pictured with Finnish PM Jyrki Katainen ahead of tomorrow's key talks

US presses for action on euro debt crisis

The US has raised the pressure on eurozone leaders to take decisive action on solving the region's debt crisis by lowering troubled members' borrowing costs.

News • 02 Aug 12

Francois Hollande (L) mets Italian Prime Mario Monti in Paris

Monti and Hollande discuss eurozone debt

The leaders of Italy and France have reaffirmed their commitment to the eurozone as efforts continue to boost confidence in currency bloc.

News • 01 Aug 12

The interest charged on Spanish debt has increased in recent weeks

Spanish and German ministers want swift EU action

The Spanish Economics Minister and the German Finance Minister have claimed the recent and significant increase in Spain's cost of borrowing does not reflect the sustainability of its debt.

News • 25 Jul 12