Ryanair is still pursuing its charm offensive, saying it will continue its transformation into a passenger-friendly airline.

To the shock of his acolytes, Pedro Passos Coelho has admitted that he is not a "perfect citizen" and that on occassion he may have been tardy in paying his social security contributions.

The Prime Minister said that he has never failed eventually to pay his debts, currently does not owe the taxman any money and that he has never used his political position to enrich himself - a thinly veiled smear on his predecessor who sits in jail on corruption and money laundering charges.

A list of countries where the future financial outlook appears glum has been compiled by Bloomberg, the financial data and media company.

Heading the list were Venezuela, Argentina, South Africa, Ukraine and Greece which, it said, were “the five most painful economies in which to live and work”.

Properties in Spain appear to be once again on the move as buyers from abroad believe that prices have finally bottomed out.

Purchasers are also feeling more confident now that the Spanish economy has shown some strong growth. The pound’s 13.5% increase against the euro in the past 12 months also has made property in mainland Europe cheaper for UK buyers.

Claims by Health Minister Paulo Macedo that Portugal’s health needs have been met during the recession may partly be explained by recent research showing that one in ten of Portugal’s sick cannot afford to access healthcare.

Portugal's health service “managed to improve health indicators, despite budgetary restrictions,” said Macedo at a conference in Sabrossa, Vila Real in February and that "it was possible to meet the needs of the Portuguese through the longest ever crisis."

The respected legal expert Alexandre de Albuquerque argues that taxes are too high in Portugal and criticises the relentless action of the ‘inhumane’ tax authorities.

In an interview with Diário Económico, Alexandre de Albuquerque, a partner at the Albuquerque & Associados law firm, does say that he is optimistic about the recovery in 2015.

Prices in the eurozone dropped 0.3% in February, according to a flash estimate from Eurostat.

In addition, there was a fall in the levels of unemployment in the 19-nation region, lowering Portugal’s rate to 13.3% in January compared to 15% in January 2014.

Expat pensions have not fared well over the last decade.

This year, better exchange rates have seen an improvement in the value of British pensions paid overseas compared to last year.