Anglo Irish Bank today announced pre tax profits for the six months to March 31st of euro 90.5 million, up 48 per cent on the same period a year ago.
The group said its basic earnings per share for the period were up 51 per cent to 20.3 cents, while bank lending increased by 21 per cent.
Anglo's chief executive Mr Seán FitzPatrick said"All our businesses have performed very well... and I am delighted we have generated another set of excellent results, making us the eighth most profitable company quoted on the Irish stock exchange."
Looking forward the bank said the US slowdown and foot-and-mouth disease would have a moderating effect on Ireland's rapid economic growth, but added a reduction may be in the best interests of the economy in the long term.
Its statement added that the fundamentals behind Ireland's huge surge in growth in the 1990s - low interest and tax rates and favourable demographics - remained in place.