There's no stopping the Cosgrave brothers. Though they have a busy workload in Dublin they have still found time for their first joint venture in Belfast. The move is already paying off handsomely, with 33 apartments sold last weekend in the QuayGate scheme overlooking the river Lagan. It's hardly surprising that over half the units were bought by Dublin-based investors, given that the Government here is hell bent on driving the private punters out of the apartment market. The Cosgraves also have such a strong following among Irish investors that were they to build in Tehran or Tibet the buyers would follow.

Agent Hooke & MacDonald is now releasing another 25 of the apartments, priced from £74,950 sterling for one-bedroom units and from £93,950 for two-bedroom homes.

Now, how come Cosgraves can't sell apartments at equivalent prices in Dublin . . .?