Ireland will “actively engage” in talks on new EU corporate tax laws as long as they don’t go any further than international standards.

January is that time of year when most people think about health and fitness for the year ahead. For busy entrepreneurs, as well as employers, well-being in the workplace is of great importance for productivity and a balanced life in general.

Banking inquiry hears NTMA advised Government of possible savings in March 2011

Ireland is among 31 OECD countries that have signed up to the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement designed to tackle tax avoidance and evasion by multinationals.

Newly-filed accounts for events company, Weddings by Franc — which is led by Fermoy native Mr Kelly, who trades under the name Franc — show a fourfold increase in profits, for the 12 months to the end of last June, to €52,142.

“If we look at the other emerging markets economies there are obviously very significant downside risks there as well. Another source of risk to the economy of course is coming from financial markets,” he told reporters.

China’s rail freight volume, a key economic indicator, dropped 11.9pc in 2015 from a year ago, compared with a decline of 3.9pc in 2014, the National Development and Reform Commission said on Tuesday, adding to concerns of contracting economic activity and weighing on oil prices.

CoreHR, which develops and sells payroll and attendance software that is used extensively in Irish government and private multinational companies, has sold a majority interest in the company to the Baltimore-based equity firm JMI Equity. The US company has almost €1bn invested in 34 technology companies.

Equifax said its IT talent centre, on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, will develop new solutions for its business around the world.

Facebook has confirmed it will proceed with the construction of a new data centre in Co Meath.