Today's other stories in brief

Campaign for consumer's rights online

The National Consumer Agency has launched a consumer information campaign to inform people of their rights when shopping online and other forms of distance selling.

Distance selling is a transaction that does not take place face-to-face and, as well as online shopping, can include buying from television shopping channels, making purchases by phone (including through text messages), by fax or by post.

The agency has warned consumers that it is possible to enter into a legal binding contract without signing something.

The campaign includes the launch of a new website, consumerconnect.ie. Consumers can also contact the agency on lo-call 1890 432 432.

Move to Spanish mortgages advised

More than 50,000 Irish people who have bought property in Spain over the last decade should now transfer their mortgage to Spain in order to avoid higher tax bills, according to IFG Spain.

About 80 per cent of the Spanish homeowners funded the purchase of their properties by remortgaging an Irish property, IFG Spain said, but this is likely to lead to a higher tax assessment by the Spanish authorities, who are now adopting a more aggressive approach to collecting taxes from overseas homeowners.

Second issue of Anglo Plus account

Anglo Irish Bank has launched the second issue of its Capital Plus account, a capital-guaranteed product that invests in commercial property over a term of three years and 11 months.

The returns are based on 80 per cent of the performance of the benchmark UK commercial property index produced by Investment Property Databank. The minimum investment sum required is €20,000 and the maximum is €1 million.

Hibernian, Vivas in joint health plan

Hibernian has linked up with health insurance provider Vivas Health to sell a new medical plan under the name Hibernian Health Plan. The plan will be available to Hibernian customers on a pilot basis for six months.