IRELAND’S first ombudsman was applauded for his integrity yesterday as tributes poured in for Michael Mills following his death.

A FORMER Department of Finance principal officer Liam Murphy told the Mahon Tribunal yesterday that a special tax status for Blanchardstown Shopping Centre had been ruled out in 1990, three years before Taoiseach Bertie Ahern allegedly received £30,000 for blocking the centre’s bid.

Dignitaries and old allies of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey, who died yesterday, visited his north Dublin home today to pay their respects.

ECONOMISTS are still optimistic about the Celtic Tiger, but they frequently get things spectacularly wrong. People should therefore beware.

AFTER 14 years, the saga surrounding the unhealthy relationship between the organisation run by beef baron Larry Goodman and the Irish Government is finally over.