Sunday 28th February

• The Sunday Business Post reported that drug distribution firm Uniphar was preparing to dispose its stake in Ipos, the independent pharmacy ownership scheme. It was reported that Uniphar would offer the pharmacists the chance to buy Uniphar's minority stake in Ipos.

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Friday 26th February

• Postbank, the joint venture between An Post and French bank BNP Paribas, announced it will close by the end of 2010. Postbank chief executive Margaret Sweeney said the bank will not be taking on any new business from Monday 1st March and will cease operations in Ireland from the end of the year. Postbank said it saw no prospect of making a profit in the current Irish market.

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Thursday 25th February

• The Financial Times reported that Alexander Lebedev and Independent News & Media had approached the UK's office of fair trading about Lebdev's proposed acquisition of The Independent newspaper titles. The OFT invited comments on the proposed acquisition and set a deadline of the 11th March for submissions.

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Sunday 21st February

• Arekibo, an Irish web development firm, acquired Clearscape, a smaller digital design agency for an undisclosed sum.
• Kildare based security company Manguard Plus acquired Gold Force Security out of liquidation, securing the future of Gold Force's 120 employees. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Gold Force Security has offices in Dublin and Limerick, and provides security guards to a number of major companies, including Bank of Ireland, Lidl and Smyths toy store. Manguard, which was established in 1995, provides security services to a number of major companies, and is particularly active in the airport and technology markets.

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Friday 19th February

• Bank of Ireland was forced to issue 15.73% of its share capital to the Irish Government in lieu of a €250.4m coupon payment due to be paid by the bank over the weekend. Under the terms of the State's recapitalisation scheme if the bank cannot pay cash, it must issue shares. The European Commission has prohibited both Bank of Ireland and AIB from paying out cash dividends on shares or bonds, while the EU rules on the State's investment in each bank and their relevant restructuring plans. As a consequence, Bank of Ireland was left with no choice but to issue the State with ordinary shares.
• Media reports in the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail suggested that Irish Life and Permanent could be a takeover target for Resolution Ltd, the UK based life assurer.

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Thursday 18th February

• Axa Private Equity sold its 65.6% stake in the Spotless Group in a deal estimated to be valued in the region of €400m. Axa disposed of its stake to private equity rival BC Partners. Spotless Group's brands include Punch shoe polish and the Vim and Vigour cleaning products. Axa originally put Spotless on the market in 2008, but due to financial market turmoil and the lack of debt available to fund such transactions, it had to remove the “for sale” tag.

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Wednesday 17th February

• Bank of Scotland Ireland opened up yhe loan, credit card and deposit books of its retail division Halifax, to interested buyers. The bank has in the region of €1bn in fixed-term and demand deposits and balances on 50,000 current accounts. The bank has a further €500m in personal loans and balances on 50,000 credit cards. Halifax also has a loan book of approximately €10bn, but the vast majority of this will be held to maturity by the bank.

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Tuesday 16th February

• Following a period of due diligence, Irish software firm First Derivatives confirmed the acquisition of Cognotec Holdings for €3.5m. Cognotec, which has operations in Dublin, London, New York, Singapore and Tokyo was placed in receivership in late January.

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Monday 15th February

• Dublin-based e-learning company Skillsoft plc agreed to a $1.1bn take private sale to a trio of private equity firms. Berkshire Partners, Advent International and Bain Capital Partners paid $10.80 a share for the company, a 26% premium over the company's average closing price over the last 12 months. Skillsoft provides on-demand e-learning and performance support for global companies, government enterprises, and education providers. The deal is subject to approval of the High Court in Ireland.

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Friday 12th February

• Sisk Group announced the acquisition of UK based Eschmann, a specialist in the design and manufacture of equipment for hospitals and dental practices, for a deal believed to be worth in the region of €28m, although the price was not confirmed by the parties involved. Eschmann is primarily involved the design and manufacture of infection control systems for dental practices and a range of products for hospital operating theatres, including tables, lights and electrosurgical units.

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Tuesday 9th February

• United Drug CEO Liam Fitzgerald revealed at the company's AGM, that the company is in early stage negotiations with as many as six potential acquisition targets. The prospective acquisitions were not named.

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Thursday 11th February

• Greencore announced the sale of its malting business, including the Minch Malting plant in Athy Co. Kildare, for €116m. the company sold the business to French agricultural co op Axereal. Greencore Malt principally comprises three Greencore owned malting businesses based in the United Kingdom (trading as Pauls Malt), Ireland (trading as Minch Malt) and Belgium (trading as Belgomalt). In addition, Greencore Malt also operates a consultancy arm, Global Malting Services.
• Duke Street Capital acquired a 69% stake in Payzone Group, the Irish based independent network of retailer payment outlets, as part of a €104m restructuring transaction which saw Payzone's level of senior secured debt reduce from approximately €300m to €77m.

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Sunday 7th February

• Arnotts agreed to a new refinancing deal with bankers Anglo Irish Bank and Ulster Bank, which saw the retail group roll over its €270m in debt and add a further €11m to its debt financing balance. The group accumulated a large amount of debt as a result of a number of property purchases made in relation to the proposed Northern Quarter development, which has since been postponed.

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Wednesday 3rd February

• First Derivatives announced that it has entered into an exclusive agreement with the receivers of the Dublin based provider of FX market applications, Cognotec, to potentially acquire “certain of the business and assets”. FDP said it would now undertake a period of due diligence.

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Tuesday 2nd February

• Irish exploration company, Minco, announced it had agreed a €7m exploration programme with its joint venture partner, Xstrata Zinc, on the Pallas Green Zinc and Lead Project in Pallasgreen, Co. Limerick.