A battle royal is expected next week when the planning appeals board holds a public inquiry into the long-delayed Millennium Mall, which will link O'Connell Street with Moore Street. Dublin Corporation has already granted permission for the £85 million scheme and has staked its reputation on having it up and running in the year 2000.

This time scale is looking more and more optimistic because of the intervention of Keelgrove Ltd, a Treasury Holdings company controlled by Johnny Ronan and Richard Barrett. It objected to the grand plan for a shopping complex, 15 cinemas and a hotel and leisure centre on the site, which includes the Fingal County Council offices and the former Carlton cinema. Keelgrove also objected to another big project in the same area, a large hotel and shopping precinct along Parnell Street. Garret Kelleher, the developer, has since got the green light for the £50 million complex.