The €9.5 million sale of Irish Life investment properties in Cork and Limerick includes two Patrick Street Cork units set for increased profile from next year, when the Capitol Cinema retail site is completed, bringing a strong anchor (Zara? H&M?) to this end of Patrick Street.

Bertie Ahern has staunchly defended his time as taoiseach, claiming the infamous Galway Tent was “no big deal”, that he never believed a property bubble existed, and that no one told him Ireland was facing boom or bust.

Ex-taoiseach Bertie Ahern has insisted he was never told about the specifics of developer Seán Quinn’s issues with Angle Irish Bank — despite a private meeting at his home with Brian Cowen days after the 2008 St Patrick’s Day stock exchange “massacre”.

Politicians and senior backroom officials will be forced to provide in-depth details of any potential “conflict of interest” issues, with a new watchdog set up to ensure the moves take place, under new Mahon Tribunal-inspired Government plans.

Ireland’s image as being an honest country in which to do business has improved for the second year in a row, according to an index of corruption perceptions published by Transparency International.

The sale at public auction this week of a 1.25 acre house-building site in Cork for €845,000 shows builders are back to town — and bidding for sites.

The Menu is taking his brain out of the vaults once more for its annual airing at The Great Irish Foodie Quiz 2014 (Oct 7@7.30pm). 

The forthcoming Planning Bill provides an opportunity to define the term planner for the first time in legislation, writes Mary Hughes

Size: Sq m 116 (1,250 sq ft)

I HAVE a friend who went to a posh Munster boarding school back in the 1970s. When the lights went out every night in the dorm the competition would always begin with the words: "My father has two Zetors."

TWO office sites in Cork City and suburbs are competing to woo a new US FDI occupier — with the promise of up to 500 IT-related jobs.

A Traveller couple who were refused service in a Co Dublin hotel on the day of their daughter's wedding were successful in a discrimination case they took against the hotel at Swords District Court today.

Plans to force political parties to publish full financial accounts annually are facing resistance from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, who have expressed concerns about the implications for local branches.

THE funding of political parties has long been a closely guarded secret. However, the corruption and abuse of power this has engendered over the years has become an all too familiar story.

Lobbyist Frank Dunlop made corrupt payments to councillors for the rezoning of land at Carrickmines in south Dublin, according to the final chapter in the Mahon Tribunal report published today.

The Government has been asked to ensure that any new national spatial strategy mapping out development across the country must be backed up by law and also prevent a “planning free-for-all”.

The publication of the Mahon report in March ended the era of tribunals, writes Michael Clifford

The Taoiseach’s decision to share a Wall Street platform with businessman Denis O’Brien has done Ireland’s reputation “no favours”, an anti-corruption campaign group has said.

With every underage hurling trophy comes greater pressure and expectation for the future, but Blackrock are more than happy to embrace it.

The operations of Shanakiel Hospital are to be moved to the former Cork Medical Centre in Mahon in a move which will see the VHI provide cover for patients using the state-of-the-art €90m facility.

Fianna Fáil senator Averil Power called for candidates for public office to sign up to a legally-binding ethics pledge which could be monitored by an independent electoral commission.

The Government is to outline proposals for a planning tsar on recommendations from the damning Mahon Tribunal report.

The Government has said that at least two thirds of the recommendations of the Mahon Tribunal report have been or will be implemented.

Another first for Kenmare

The final cost of the Mahon Tribunal is likely to be €200m, according to an estimate provided by the planning inquiry to the Government.

A Fine Gael councillor who lost the party whip over accepting a political donation has claimed she was used as a “scapegoat” by the party.

Fine Gael TD Olivia Mitchell has welcomed the findings of a party disciplinary committee which exonerated her after criticism in the Mahon Tribunal report of an "inappropriate" £500 donation she received from lobbyist Frank Dunlop.

I was surprised to see that Fianna Fáil director Micheál Martin has re-entered the entertainment business.

Olivia Mitchell is the only person in the Dáil against whom adverse findings were made by Mahon. While she was not corrupt, the system was, writes Michael Clifford

One of the most surprising aspects of the Mahon report was the silence of ministers and TDs throughout the Celtic Tiger years.

The Cabinet is to receive a report on the Mahon Tribunal’s recommendations which includes a consideration about an independent planning regulator for local authorities.

Even allowing for the drawn-out choreography of politics, the reluctance of Health Minster James Reilly, while speaking on RTÉ yesterday, to be even-handed about those indicted by the Mahon and Moriarty tribunals was as disheartening as it was tragic.

A special meeting of the Fianna Fáil Árd Chomhairle held last night has endorsed party leader Micheál Martin's response to the Mahon tribunal final report.

Judges with the Mahon Tribunal have been made millionaires during their time presiding over the planning corruption probe, figures reveal.

Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson Jonathan O’Brien has said that the final report of the Mahon tribunal is “a tale of deceit and corruption”.

The Government is promising to announce a plan of action in the wake of the Mahon Tribunal within six weeks.

The corruption exposed by the Mahon Tribunal was “overwhelmingly a Fianna Fáil problem”, according to the Tánaiste and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore.

A former government minister has asked why no one is questioning the contents of the Mahon Tribunal report.

Fianna Fáil TD Willie O'Dea has backed calls for pensions to be taken from politicians who are found to have acted corruptly.