PRESS DIGEST - Ireland - April 19

These are some of the leading stories in Ireland's newspapers on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and cannot vouch for their accuracy:

THE IRISH TIMES

- The outcome of the May 31 European stability treaty referendum is wide open, according to a poll, which says that 39 percent are undecided. 30 percent of voters said they will vote for the treaty and 23 percent said they would vote against.

- Struggling Irish telecoms group made a pretax loss of 1.49 billion euros ($1.96 billion) in the year to the end of June 2011, while its revenue declined by 8 percent to 1.68 billion euros, according to a report given to the High Court

- Food retailer Tesco recorded a 2.4 percent drop in sales across its Irish outlets in the 12 months to the end of February, the company said

IRISH INDEPENDENT

- The 'new' permanent tsb could become the 'master servicer' for more than 20 billion euros of tracker mortgages set to be taken off the balance sheets of PTSB and AIB, the Irish Independent has learned. Under the plan, IBRC would take the loans onto its balance sheet.

- Plans to change the law to allow heavily-indebted people get some of their loans written off are set to hit credit unions hard, a government-appointed commission has found

- The government last night said legal issues prevent it from supporting legislation that seeks to introduce a more liberal abortion regime.

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