Eir pulls the plug; gunning for Ryanair; and snails delivering in Carlow

Eir has pulled the plug on its deal with outsourced customer service provider HCL, deciding to bring 950 staff back into direct employment, writes Mark Paul. But 650 of those staff will have to move from Dublin to Cork, Limerick or Sligo if they want to keep their jobs.

Shareholders are being advised to kick Michael O'Leary off the airline's board by proxy adviser Pirc, writes Barry O'Halloran. While company directors have been the target of proxy advisers before now, this is the first time they have gone after the outspoken businessman largely responsible for the airline's success.

Comedian Mario Rosenstock has little to laugh at as a company connected to him paid Revenue over €113,000 in a settlement. Barry O'Halloran has details of others on the quarterly tax defaulters list, including promoter Denis Desmond.

Snails for supper anyone? There must be demand somewhere because Carlow-based snail farmer Eva Milka is looking to expand. Her Gaelic Escargot business has outgrown its current base as she sells 10 tonnes of snail meat per annum. Peter Hamilton has the details and Bryan O'Brien went down to Carlow to film the enteprise.

Property tax: There is trouble ahead but this tax needs to be saved

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Apple buys animated film from Kilkenny-based Cartoon Saloon

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Chinese approach for maker of Wilson rackets and Salomon ski gear

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Lagarde warns of US-China trade war ‘shock’ to emerging markets

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It was a rare good day for Swiss-Irish baked goods business Aryzta as it announced conditional support from underwriters for its planned €800 million share offering later this year. Joe Brennan and Peter Hamilton report that shares jumped as much as 14% on the news.

The Frascati Centre in the south Dublin suburb of Blackrock is scheduled to re-open for business before the end of October, reports Jack Fagan with a host of new names in the much changed shopping centre following a €30 million revamp.

And Jack also has details of a monastery for sale in Harolds Cross.Located beside the local Catholic church, the building which dates back to 1878, has planning permission for 32 duplexes and apartments and seller Marlet is looking for €3.5 million through Lisney.

As the rate of property price growth slows, Cliff Taylor urges the Government not to let the local property tax follow the water charges into oblivion, suggesting the tax serves a number of worthwhile purposes.

In London Briefing, Fiona Walsh reports that there is little likelihood of festive cheer in the UK retail sector this Christmas, with latest rumours suggesting Debenhams is the next big name struggling.

And, as it draws closer, what will Budget 2019 mean for you?

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