An architect and an engineer agreed a scheme to move shares in a firm worth US$8m (€7.1m) as the architect got into financial trouble and later filed for bankruptcy, the High Court heard.

The State last year splurged almost €100,000 on catering for guests to an evening State reception and a buffet celebrating President Michael D Higgins’s inauguration.

The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has today published a request for tenders (RFT) for A Review of Future Capacity Needs at Ireland’s State airports.