Boost for SMEs in Lisburn

Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has officially opened a new £1m building in Lisburn, in a bid to bolster local small businesses.

The new development, which could potentially create 15 new jobs, includes a head office, workspaces and conference facilities, according to build.ie.

It is located at Lisburn Enterprise Organisation (LEO) at Enterprise Crescent on Ballinderry Road. LEO is an agency that works to encourage small business development throughout the city.

Kerry murder trial gets underway

Two brothers have gone on trial charged with the murder of a 30-year old man in Killarney in County Kerry in 2007.

19 year old Shane O'Riordan and 28 year old Gerard O'Riordan of Arbutus Grove in Killarney are charged with the murder of James Brazier at a house at Pinewood in Killarney on 15 April 2007.

AIB seeks to raise capital

AIB is seeking to raise capital by selling and leasing back seven prominent branches in strategic business locations.

According to businessworld.ie, CB Richard Ellis, who have been given the contract to sell the properties, today said the branches are in Swords, Navan, Dundalk, Monaghan, Kells, Castleblaney and Maynooth. This is part of an ongoing strategy by the Bank to unlock capital for its core business activities since the sale of AIB Bankcentre in Ballsbridge in 2005 and 2006.

Following on from the recent sale of three branches in Dublin, Naas and Mullingar, the Bank is releasing another tranche of its branch network in the form of sale and leaseback investments, CBRE said. All of the branches will be secured by long-term leases to Allied Irish Banks plc for a period of 20 years with a break option in year 15 and the initial rents will be subject to upward only reviews at 5 year intervals.