The International Monetary Fund disbursed a fresh $1.17 billion to Ireland on Monday, approving the country's progress under its two-year-old rescue program. "Ireland's steadfast policy implementation has continued even as growth has slowed in 2012. The 2012 (fiscal shortfall) should be comfortably within the 8.6% deficit target despite health overruns and higher social welfare spending owing to high unemployment," the IMF said. (full story)