Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year: The eight entrepreneurs shortlisted for the international entrepreneur category are profiled below.

The nominees represent a cross-section of the Republic's leading firms operating in international markets in a range of sectors, from exploration to pharmaceuticals to tourism. They are all involved in earning overseas revenue for the economy.

Three of the companies are from Dublin and one from Cork. The other firms are based in Clare, Galway, Carlow and Tyrone. Nominees from the the third category of emerging entrepreneurs will be profiled in The Irish Times next Monday.

The entrepreneurs have been selected from 125 nominations received by the programme's judging panel, chaired by businessman and previous winner Denis O'Brien. The nominees will be featured in RTÉ programmes in August and September.

The contest is in its eighth year and the winners will be announced at a televised awards ceremony on September 29th.

The judges will select a winner from each of the three categories, which also includes the industry category profiled last week.

One of the category winners will be awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year title for 2005.

A 12-member judging panel comprising businessmen and women selects the winners.

Previous winners include Eddie Jordan, Moya Doherty and Pádraig Ó Céidigh. Last year's winner, Peter Fitzgerald of Randox Laboratories, will be one of this year's judges.

The competition is sponsored by The Irish Times, RTÉ, Enterprise Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland, InterTrade Ireland and Shannon Development.