A blow for INM, a new idea for housing crisis and Cork is home to ‘world best’ factory

‘Business Today: the best news, analysis and comment from ‘The Irish Times’ business desk

Independent News & Media chief executive Michael Doorly (left) with retiring chairman Lesley Buckley at the company’s EGM earlier this year. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons
Independent News & Media chief executive Michael Doorly (left) with retiring chairman Lesley Buckley at the company’s EGM earlier this year. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons

Independent News & Media faces the appointment of High Court inspectors later this week after a landmark judgment yesterday. Mark Paul and Mary Carolan have reports and analysis from the court on what Mr Justice Peter Kelly said was a "well justified" application – though INM has been given two days to digest it and consider its position.

Developer Michael O'Flynn has suggested a way to tackle the housing crisis by reducing the cost of land for houses – one of the key contributors to rising prices. Ciarán Hancock has the details of a proposal the Cork man has put to housing minister Eoghan Murphy.

Disappointing tax returns for August leave Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe with little room for manoeuvre ahead of next month's budget, just as he faces a cacophony of special pleadings for money ahead of a potential election year. Eoin Burke-Kennedy reports.

Back to Cork where hip and knee joint company Depuy Synthes has had its Ringaskiddy plant named one of the nine best factories in the world for its introduction of the internet of things to improvement. Charlie Taylor explains how the company used new tech to get old machines talk to each other more efficiently.

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US fund LoneStar has hired Davy to advise it on bringing yet another housebuilder to the stock market – this time with developer Patrick Durkan running the show – at a time when shares in the two existing listed builders are struggling, writes Joe Brennan.

Eir's Carolan Lennon is promising to deliver "a world class customer experience" at the telco not traditionally known for such accolades. That will involve the new chief executive bringing back in-house hundreds of what it calls "customer-facing functions" – customer service to the rest of us. Mark Paul reports

In London Briefing, Fiona Walsh looks askance at the blunder prone TSB whose CEO finally resigned yesterday as customers battle yet another lockout from their accounts.

Dominic Coyle

Dominic Coyle

Dominic Coyle is Deputy Business Editor of The Irish Times