Suneil Sharma is a businessman not known to the wider Limerick public. While Limerick has been very good to Mr Sharma, some, specifically Limerick City and County Council, Limerick Chamber of Commerce and the Limerick Business Association are beginning to question if Mr Sharma will be as good for Limerick.

A Belfast developer won a major battle against Limerick City and County Council yesterday, when he got the go-ahead for a new shopping centre near the University of Limerick, which opens the way for Marks & Spencer to move into the city.

A mothballed retail project on the outskirts of Limerick city, which was abandoned mid-build during the property crash, is set to undergo a €100m redevelopment, with the potential to create 2,000 jobs.

Marks and Spencer will open a new flagship store in Co Limerick and will overhaul its Grafton St store in Dublin following a review of its Irish operations.