IN THE PAPERS
In The Papers 19 April
19-04-2010
by Sylvia Leatham
Pharma, ICT sectors suffer ash cloud fallout | TIF report urges infrastructure investment
The Irish Times reports that healthcare software supplier Helix Health Group posted a profit after tax of EUR582,000 in 2008, according to accounts filed recently. Turnover for the group was EUR10.2 million, up from EUR9.38 million the previous year. At year-end the group had shareholders' funds of EUR1.56 million. The firm raised EUR1.25 million through the issue of shares in December 2008. The company balance sheet shows it had fixed assets at year-end of EUR30.7 million.
The Irish Independent says that Ireland's pharmaceutical and ICT sectors could be badly affected by the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano. Both industries dominate the airborne export sector -- the trade of which makes up EUR21 billion a year, or EUR400 million a week. The Irish Exporters' Association said it was not in crisis, but that critical deliveries could be missed if the ash cloud failed to disappear before Friday. Although 98 percent of the volume of trade to and from Ireland is carried by ship, air-dependent exporters make up a sizeable portion of the value of overseas trade. The sector is dominated by human science exporters, such as Pfizer and Wyeth, which export to the US and Asia.
The paper also reports that it could cost up to EUR2.5 billion to construct new telecoms infrastructure in Ireland that would enable consumers and businesses to access services such as high-definition TV over the internet. A report to be published on Monday by the Telecommunications and Internet Federation (TIF) warns that Ireland "must act quickly to avoid being left behind other countries that are accelerating investment" in next generation access networks (NGAs). NGAs typically include the infrastructure that connects customers with the core transport network of telecoms operators, such as mobile mast infrastructure and optical fibres. The TIF report says NGAs have the potential to drive economic recovery by enhancing the development of Ireland's so-called smart economy.
The Financial Times says that Facebook is about to unveil a content-sharing button that other websites can embed on their pages, according to sources. The 'like' button will be similar to products from Twitter and Digg that let users share content with their social networks. The new function will allow users to signal the content they like on sites around the internet. The announcement will be one of several that come out of F8, Facebook's annual conference, which begins Wednesday in San Francisco.
The paper also says that Sage Group chief executive Paul Walker is to step down after 16 years as head of the accounting software group. There has been no time frame given for his departure, although it could come as early as this year. Sage has hired Russell Reynolds Associates to search for his replacement.
The Sunday Business Post is warning that Americans may be falling for an internet scam involving an online relationship with "Irish" people. The unsuspecting victims are being asked for money after the scammer claims to have been a victim of crime while visiting Ireland, has lost a laptop or has a critically ill friend. Those carrying out the scam use stolen photos and build up a relationship over months. It is not yet known if the perpetrators are based in Ireland.
The same paper says that Communications Minister Eamon Ryan will hold a national consultation on how the internet, blogging and online content impact on the broadcast and print media. The consultation will look at issues created by new devices that are used to access media, such as how to apply TV licences to iPhones and iPads, and how new devices are hitting advertising revenues and licence fees. The project will help inform government policy on the funding of online content in the future.
The paper also says that Bord Gais is to open an online store selling eco-friendly products in May. The store will extend credit to consumers that can be paid back through their Bord Gais bills, and will address the problem of a lack of credit in the market. This could be applied to energy-efficient products for up to EUR2,500, including kettles and eco-materials, with an agreement with a bank in the works to provide securitised finance of up to EUR15,000 for home insulation, solar panels, wood chip burners and energy-efficient boilers. Other services will include building energy rating audits.
The paper also reports that IT firm iSoft, which is working on a EUR60 million upgrade of the Health Service Executive (HSE) patient records systems, and US partner firm CSC are currently behind deadline for a similar NHS project. Isoft and CSC were to install software for hospitals in Morecambe Bay as part of a STG1 billion project in the UK by 31 March, but missed the deadline. A recent audit of the iSoft integrated patient management system discovered issues when catering staff at a Kerry hospital could access patient information on the system, and further investigation found there were problems with future integration into a national database of patient records.
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