The risk has increased that the European Central Bank won’t get inflation back up to where it wants, the bank’s chief economist said yesterday, pledging to beef up its anti-deflation asset-buying programme if necessary.

Businessman Kevin McNulty is liable to Nama for €90m over unpaid loans made by the former Anglo Irish Bank to him and two building companies, plus his guarantees of some of those loans, the Commercial Court ruled.

A High Court judge has ordered a sworn “yes or no” answer must be provided by an official of the former Anglo Irish Bank as to whether or not it was solvent during 2009 when it allegedly issued loan facilities to a developer being pursued for €88m.

WHAT price an extra two bedrooms? About €55,000, going on two different house offerings above Cork city’s St Luke’s Cross at Gardiner’s Hill.