Europe, Ireland | featured news

Stress tests on Ireland's four main lenders will reveal a capital hole of around 20 billion euros ($28.2 billion), The Sunday Business Post reported, without citing any sources.

Ireland's two largest parties agreed to form a new coalition government Sunday, clinching a quick deal that will allow it to press European leaders to ease the terms of the country's 85 billion euro EU/IMF bailout.

Prime Minister Brian Cowen announced Saturday that he has resigned as leader of Ireland's dominant Fianna Fail party but intends to keep leading the government through the March 11 election.

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen's surprise plan to reshuffle his cabinet weeks before a general election risked backfiring badly on Thursday with coalition partners and backbenchers fuming over the move.

Prime Minister Brian Cowen said Sunday that he won’t resign despite criticism of his management of the country’s its deficit and the international bailout.

Ireland's parliament approved a multi-billion euro EU/IMF bailout package on Wednesday in the face of opposition threats to renegotiate the deal to force losses on some senior bondholders in Irish banks.

Ireland's international bailout relieved investors Monday but outraged many across the country who find that a requirement to raid state pension ...

Debt-crippled Ireland formally applied Sunday for a massive EU-IMF loan to stem the flight of capital from its banks, joining Greece in a step unthinkable only a few years ago when Ireland was a booming Celtic Tiger and the economic envy of Europe.

The ultimate size will depend on whether Dublin merely tries to shore up and restructure its crippled banks, or whether a larger package is offered to give it more breathing room.

Euro zone finance ministers agreed on Tuesday to lay the groundwork for bailing out Ireland's banking sector with the IMF, but said Dublin had to decide itself whether to request the aid.