Taoiseach pulls out of hotel opening following planning row

A planning row has forced the Taoiseach to pull out of the official opening of a luxury hotel in Kilkenny.

Around four hundred people had been invited to the opening of Lyrath Estate Hotel this Friday and Mr Ahern was to have been the guest of honour.

However, the Taoiseach cancelled the engagement when it emerged that the walls and flags at the entrance to the grounds were erected without planning permission.