News round up.

(From Business and Finance)

Four-year plan

The Government has published its four-year plan, announcing measures to reduce the country's Budget deficit. The plan includes many initiatives, which will amount to a EUR15bn adjustment over the four year period. The first EUR6bn of that savings will be introduced in this December's Budget. Measures include - Public expenditure down EUR10bn, tax up EUR5bn, corporation tax to remain at 12.5%, VAT will rise to 23% by 2014, following an increase in 2013, health spending to fall by EUR1.4bn over the term of the plan and the minimum wage is to fall to EUR7.65 per hour.

The number of people signing on the Live Register fell again in November after falls in October and September, according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office. Seasonally adjusted figures fell by 4,200 in November to stand at 438,800. The CSO says the headline figure fell by 4,551 to stand at 425,002.

rescue package for Ireland, which they said would help safeguard financial stability in the euro zone. Jean-Claude Juncker, chairman of the eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers, announced the deal after talks in Brussels.

Some EUR35bn was earmarked to help restructure the shattered Irish banking system, of which …