Young Business Writer Awards were presented to 10 second and third-level students at Dublin City University yesterday by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney.

The awards are jointly sponsored by Coopers and Lybrand, chartered accountants and McCann Fitzgerald, solicitors, organised by the university and supported by The Irish Times.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, the managing director of Coopers and Lybrand, Mr Bill Cunningham, said writing skills are essential to effective communication in business.

He added that the awards have "fostered a greater awareness of the importance of business writing skills among second and third-level students".

Mr Ronan Molony, chairman of McCann Fitzgerald, said it was good to see the increase in the numbers entering the competition and the high standards achieved, particularly at second-level.

Entrants were required to submit a 1,000-word article on one of 10 topics.

In the third-level section the overall winner was Ms Gemma O'Regan, from the Michael Smurfit Business School, UCD.

The runner-up was Ms Eithne O'Connell, from the Dublin Institute of Technology, Mountjoy Square.

Highly commended were Mr Eamonn Murphy, Mr Edward Rowney and Ms Maria Finnegan, all from the Michael Smurfit Business School, UCD.

In the second-level section, Ms Claire Browne, from Mount Anville School in Co Dublin was the overall winner.

The runner-up was Ms Catherine Boylan, from Inver College, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.

Highly commended were Ms Ciara McPartland, from St Columba's College, Whitechurch, Co Dublin, Ms Collette Vesey, of the Holy Child School in Sallynoggin, Co Dublin and Ms Maria Curran, of Colaiste Choilm, Ballincollig, Co Cork.