The Spencer Dock conference centre and office complex is not apparently taking up all Johnny Ronan's time. He has just got planning permission for a massive office development at the junction of Burlington Road and Mespil Road. Ronan and a company called Bracadale Ltd plan to demolish an existing six-storey building and provide 247,000 sq ft of offices in two seven-storey blocks.

A large chunk of the office space is to be used by the Blood Transfusion Service, which occupies the existing building on Mespil Road.

Ronan's other company, Treasury Holdings, has just engaged Kevin Kelly, the former boss of Sisk, to handle construction activity at Spencer Dock.