Compiled by Laura Slattery
Quote of the Week . . .
"I recently gave a series of seminars with the IAVI and on some occasions we had to remove the cutlery from the tables."
- Irish Auctioneers & Valuers Institute members are as depressed as the housing market, says economist Jim Power.
The Numbers . . .
€1.2 billionPretax profit made by Anglo Irish Bank, which this week laughed off rumours that the credit crunch was going to bite by breaking through the €1 billion profit mark for the first time.
37Percentage by which Anglo Irish Bank's share price was down compared to its €17.53 June peak at close of trading on Wednesday.
€43.6 millionThe amount of "sugar aid" received so far by Greencore out of a total EU compensation pot of €145.5 million for the closure of the Irish sugar industry.
€130.9 millionThe amount of aid to which Greencore claims it is entitled under EU rules.
Good Week . . .
Captive caterersCompass, the catering group rebuked by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver for serving up processed-beyond- recognition Turkey Twizzlers to British schoolchildren, announced healthier profits thanks to its 25 million "captive customers" in prisons, schools, offices, army messes, sports venues and oil rigs.
Tom BarryThe financial regulator normally prefers not to name individuals, but chief executive Patrick Neary singled out the managing director of Canada Life for special praise after he graduated with a diploma in compliance at UCD, thereby setting an example to all senior management of financial services firms.
Bad Week . . .
Emma ClarkeThe "mind the gap" voice-over artist had her contract with London Underground terminated after she was quoted as saying she never uses the Tube, finds it "dreadful" and prefers taxis and buses. "London Underground is sorry to have to announce that further contracts for Miss Clarke are experiencing severe delays," a spokesman said.
SwatchThe first Irish Swatch store is opening its doors, no doubt punctually, in Blanchardstown today, but the global watch giant's ethical performance has failed to impress environmental organisation WWF. It received a "D" grade for its record, although this was better than the "F" received by luxury brands Bulgari and Tods.
Quote of the Week 2 . . .
"All you need is a few computer science graduates."
- Ian Brown from technology security company McAfee explains the ease with which more than 100 countries are using the internet for espionage, including infiltrating the defence information and air traffic control systems of other nations.
