An €11m loan for council housing repairs in Cork city is on the way and funding for road repairs and homeless services has been increased as city councillors agreed not to increase commercial rates and parking charges.

An €8.2m-a-year office leased by the State is lying idle with no plans to move workers in until the middle of the year.

AN €8 million contract to design a new national children’s hospital has been awarded to a consortium of three architectural firms including the firm of designers of the new Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation headquarters in Seattle.