NATIONAL Irish Bank and AIB are jointly to fund the large expansion of Arnotts' department store which will in future have frontage onto Liffey Street and Middle Abbey Street as well as Henry Street, Dublin 1.

The development will cost up to £27 million, and will include a multi-storey car park which will be rented to an outside operator. An additional 160,000 square feet of retail space on four floors will be occupied by Arnotts and outside concessionary traders. Arnotts will be able to avail of valuable tax breaks on the development, which will be completed before the designated area concessions run out in July 1997