WITH FORECOURT sales having stalled, German car maker Audi has been busy bombarding the business community with offers of membership to the Audi Club at the O2, described as one of the “most sought-after and prestigious clubs in Dublin”. Indeed.
Membership comes with 12 complimentary tickets and access to a “private oasis” within the venue. Audi has sweetened the deal by offering six months free membership of the 2,100-capacity Grand Canal Theatre, which opens in March. And the cost? A mere €10,000 plus Vat. You could get a decent second-hand Audi for that price.
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Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan and the Educational Building Society (EBS) have been blowing kisses at each other recently. The Minister has said that it would be “desirable in principle” to have a mutual society competing with the two big banks on mortgages and car loans.
EBS, meanwhile, is happy the Minister has kickstarted merger talks with Irish Nationwide.
Lenihan has first-hand knowledge of the benefits of a customer-owned lender.
The mortgage on his home in Castleknock, west Dublin, is with the EBS, according to the Land Registry. Records show that the building society has a charge, created in October 1998, against the property to cover a loan of £160,000 (€203,000) provided at that time.
