Business

Security services company Ward Solutions has won a €120,000 contract to deliver an information security service to Laya Healthcare. Ward Solutions secures €120k contract with Laya HealthcareNoel O’Grady, sales director, Ward Solutions, Ian Brennan, director of information technology, Laya Healthcare and Brendan Molloy, business development manager, Ward Solutions Employing 430 people in Dublin and Cork, Laya Healthcare provides health insurance to more than 475,000 customers across Ireland and deals with large amounts of confidential data.  Ward Solutions has carried out a full risk assessment for the organisation, which has resulted in improved internal procedures and processes across all of its businesses.  The health insurer has also focused IT spend on…

Ryanair has signed a long-term deal with Navtech Inc, a leader in flight operations software and services, to provide aeronautical charts and flight management system (FMS) data for use on board its fleet of 300 Boeing 737-800s. Ryanair converted to Navtech paper charts and FMS data in August and is currently transferring to ‘electronic flight bags’ with Navtech’s state-of-the-art cockpit solution iCharts EFB, which provides pilots with quick and easy access to the most up to date data as well as customisation options based on user and organizations size. “Ryanair is pleased to launch Navtech Charts and FMS data on board our flights this summer. In Navtech, we found a…

Aer Lingus Regional adds Leeds Bradford to route network The expansion of the airline’s route network follows the ongoing success of the franchise agreement between Stobart Air and Aer Lingus, which saw both a Shannon to Bristol and Cork to Newcastle service launched earlier this year. This announcement is the first time that Aer Lingus has operated flights to Leeds Bradford in 14 years. Aer Lingus Regional expects to carry up to 70,000 customers annually on the new route and will operate all services on the company’s brand new fleet of regional aircraft. According to managing director of Stobart Air Julian Carr, the launch of the route marks a significant milestone for the airline. “We are…

The industries most impacted by the economic downturn – including manufacturing and motoring – showed continued signs of improvement in August 2014, according to new figures from Vision-net.ie. Manufacturing and Motor Industries Show Improvement in August 2014 The manufacturing sector experienced 50pc fewer insolvencies last month (five) when compared to August last year (10), while the motor industry saw no insolvencies during August 2014. Vision-net.ie said, however, that overall insolvencies across all sectors increased by 19pc (108 v 91) in August when compared with last year. Forty-five percent of last month’s company insolvencies were recorded in Dublin, followed by 19pc in Cork and 6pc in Galway. Leitrim, Offaly, Laois, Sligo…

DCC plc said today that it has reached agreement to buy Esso SAF’s unmanned retail petrol station network and motorway concessions in France. The total consideration will be €106m (£84m), plus stock in tank at the date of acquisition, all payable in cash on completion. The acquisition includes Esso SAF’s network of 274 Esso Express unmanned petrol stations; 48 Esso branded motorway concessions; and contracts to supply around 75 dealer owned dealer operated sites. As part of the transaction, DCC Energy will enter into a long term branded supply agreeement with Esso SAF. The acquired business will have annual volumes of approximately 1.9 billion litres and revenues of approximately €2.2bn…

Payzone said today that it has sold its payments services business in Sweden, Payzone Nordic AB, to Pan Nordic payment transaction services provider Nets for an undisclosed sum. Payzone Nordic AB provides payment services customised for the retail, hotel and restaurant sectors. Set up in 1989, the company is headquartered in Stockholm and processes over 150 million transactions a year. According to Payzone, the company, which operates solely in the integrated payment service provider (PSP) sector, is one of the largest electronic funds transfer networks in Sweden. It generated sales around approximately SEK70m (€8m) in 2013 and employs nearly 50 people. Payzone Nordic’s CEO, Carl-Greger Leijonhufvud, will remain with the…

Daybreak Information Technologies, a provider of global information technology services to the biotech sector that is headquartered in Dublin, has announced that it has signed an alliance agreement to partner with San Diego-based Bell Canyon Consulting LLC, a provider of data management products and software services provider to global life sciences companies. The companies said that the partnership creates the first comprehensive IT solutions provider dedicated to the biotech and pharma markets. “This partnership expands Daybreak’s capabilities in the commercial segment of the biotech value chain. Bell Canyon has proven expertise in the commercial data management market and we will leverage its assets to establish a strong capability in the…

Deloitte Ireland has announced that Leyton Ireland, a specialist in the provision of R&D; tax credit advice, has merged with its existing R&D; tax credit practice to form Deloitte Leyton Consulting Ireland Ltd, a joint venture owned by Deloitte Ireland and the Leyton Group. Established in Ireland in 2007, Leyton offers dedicated R&D tax credit services in the Irish market. “Leyton’s expertise and experience complement Deloitte’s existing strong capabilities in this area. We believe the combination of skills in the two teams creates a market leading proposition for our clients,” said Brendan Jennings, managing partner, Deloitte. “As the economic situation improves and capital is increasingly available to invest in R&D…

Botswana Diamonds said today that it will start a drilling programme in Orapa, Botswana in the third week of September. The two targets to be drilled are in the northern part of the 2.9 sq km PL117 block. The targets, identified from recent work by Sunland Minerals, the 50/50 joint venture between Alrosa and Botswana Diamonds, are prospective for the discovery of kimberlite bodies. Verification drilling depth will be 100 metres and after the core is studied in Botswana, specimens and samples will be sent for analysis to St Petersburg. The final report from Sunland Minerals prepared by Alrosa geologists that will outline opportunities arising from the detailed analysis of…

London City Airport has held the top spot as the most punctual airport in the UK, with the most flights on time in Q1 2014. The airport said it has been the most punctual one consistently since April 2012. It has also recorded the shortest average delay at six minutes. “The latest statistics from the Civil Aviation Authority show that London City Airport has been the most punctual of all UK airports for the last two years running,” said Declan Collier, CEO of London City Airport. “In addition, we have the shortest average delay in the country, at just six minutes, compared to an average of nine minutes. It’s a…