Today's other stories in brief

Public-sector earnings up by 3.6% last year

Average weekly earnings for the State's 256,600 public-sector employees rose by 3.6 per cent to €931.38 by the end of last year, according to data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The figures do not include those working in the health sector.

In comparison, there was an increase of 4.1 per cent in average earnings in sectors such as manufacturing, construction and banking, although the CSO said it excluded some of the effects of changes in employment composition.

Over the 12-month period to December 2007, the number of public-service employees rose by 6,300.

Employment in the health sector rose from 106,300 to 111,500 over the year.

Carlsberg awarded for ad as Gaeilge

Carlsberg was among eight businesses to receive a special achievement award yesterday for its contribution to the Irish language.

The drinks group was recognised at the Business As Gaeilge awards, organised by Lá Nua newspaper and sponsored by Foras Na Gaeilge and Accenture, for its use of Irish in its Aon focal television advertising campaign.

Others recognised for their contribution were Irish online bookshop Litriocht.com, the Public Appointments Service, Daingean jeweller Brian de Staic, Danny Minnie's restaurant, Coláiste na bhFiann, and Belfast-based An Ceathrú Ghaeltachta.

Cognotec founder Brian MacCába was recognised with the Diaspora award.

CRH finishes first part of Indian deal

CRH yesterday said it had completed the first phase of its investment in a privately-owned cement company in India.

Details of the investment in My Home Industries Ltd (MHIL), which is based in Hyderabad, were first announced on March 20th.

CRH is to pay €290 million for a 50 per cent stake, and to date it has acquired a 45 per cent shareholding.

The second phase of the transaction for the remaining 5 per cent is expected to be completed in the next three months, the company said.

MHIL has three cement production units and is building a grinding plant in Andhra Pradesh. This will see its annual cement production rise by one million tonnes to 4.2 million.

Analysts estimate that emerging markets contribute roughly 15 per cent to group profits at CRH.

Premier takeover gets approval

Cork-based recruitment firm Premier received court approval in Britain yesterday to acquire Imprint, a publicly-quoted company.

In March, Premier, which is led by Kerryman Pat Fitzgerald, made a £45.2 million (€56.7 million) all-cash offer by way of a scheme of arrangement.

Imprint will now be delisted from the stock market.

Premier said yesterday that the cash consideration would be paid by June 6th.

Larger pension means longer life

People with larger pensions live longer, according to new research by the Society of Actuaries in Ireland. The study of 93,000 members of self- administered schemes found that pensions receiving less than €5,000 a year had a 50 per cent greater chance of dying than those in receipt of annual pension income of more than €30,000.

It also found the survival prospects of a person aged 65 was improving by about 4 per cent a year.

Padraic O'Malley, chairman of the society's pensioner mortality working party, said higher income did not, of itself, lead to longer life. "However, a higher income makes favourable lifestyle factors more affordable.

"A higher income in retirement may be an indicator that you earned a good salary [and] you were able to spend sufficient money on health and nutrition throughout your life."