PRESS DIGEST - Ireland - May 19

DUBLIN, May 19 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading
stories in Ireland's newspapers on Tuesday. Reuters has not
verified these stories and cannot vouch for their accuracy:

THE IRISH TIMES

- Taoiseach Brian Cowen's decision to agree to a formal
review of the programme for government with the Green Party
after the June 5th elections has been welcomed by Green Party
Minister Eamon Ryan.

- Ireland's European partners have asked the Government to
set a date for the second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty at
next month's EU leaders' summit in Brussels.

IRISH INDEPENDENT

- Irish mortgage arrears tracked higher and the rate of loans being paid off ahead of schedule halved in the first quarter, as
homeowners continued to struggle in a deep recession, according
to Moody's.

- Irish Open hero Shane Lowry says he can't see himself
playing amateur golf again, insisting he won't make a decision
about turning pro "until Wednesday or Thursday".

IRISH EXAMINER

- The Green Party will push Fianna Fáil to clean up the
political donations system after the Irish Examiner revealed
controversial donations to Taoiseach Brian Cowen's party.

- Business start-ups remained strong last year with an
average of 2,800 recorded each month.

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