Covid supports and offshore dividends, flying vertical, and Blackrock College lands plan

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

Companies that took taxpayer-funded payments to cope with the pandemic and then paid dividends to their shareholders should be banned from availing of further State subsidies, according to a Government TD. Mark Paul reports on the company that distributes Mercedes-Benz cars in Ireland, which received almost €1.8 million in pandemic wage subsidies and paid a similar amount in a cash dividend to an offshore company controlled by the family that owns the business.

A start-up company that hopes to manufacture vertical lift electric aircraft is in early-stage engagement with IDA Ireland about establishing a production facility in the Republic, according to leading Irish aircraft leasing executive Dómhnal Slattery, whose company Avolon has backed the venture. Ciarán Hancock spoke to him about Vertical Aerospace.

An Bórd Pleanála has cleared the way for construction of a planned 241-unit €135 million build-to-rent apartment scheme on former Blackrock College lands, writes Gordon Deegan.

The amount saved in credit unions slowed in the year to September as the sector tightened limits on customer deposits and individuals and families loosened their purse strings as Covid restrictions eased. Joe Brennan looks at the numbers.

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The battle between a developer and eight Killiney residents continues with the residents securing leave to pursue judicial review of permission for a 255-home scheme in their area and the developer, Pat Crean, separately arguing that they should be blocked because they are being funded by disinterested third parties.

Property developer Paddy McKillen earned a management fee of €4.4 million last year from the Maybourne hotel group – owner of the London hotels, Claridge's, the Berkeley and the Connaught, as well as the Maybourne Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. Colin Gleeson has the details.

Irish solar farm developer Power Capital Renewable Energy says it will invest €140 million in six ready-to-build solar farms across the country that it has acquired. Charlie Taylor notes the sites have a combined capacity to power 40,000 or more homes and come with planning permission and grid connection approval .

Dublin laboratory equipment supplier Cruinn Diagnostics has secured a multimillion euro investment – understood to be around €12 million – from private equity firm MML Growth Capital Partners. Charlie Taylor notes that MML generally takes a significant minority stake in its investment targets.

Laura Noonan writes about the magic of Christmas season jobsin her college days and how young people have it much tougher now in a world of Covid and online shopping.

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Dominic Coyle

Dominic Coyle

Dominic Coyle is Deputy Business Editor of The Irish Times