Enda Kenny’s press chief became embroiled in a major controversy last night after saying the Taoiseach had viewed the pictures of Michaela McAreavey’s corpse — only to later retract the claim.

The Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore will meet with the Irish Ambassador to Mauritius this morning to discuss the publication of photographs of Michaela McAreavey's dead body.

A shareholding taken by British Airways in 1973 looked set to raise £3.2m (€€4m) for the airline today.