News

Man charged with hotel bill 'deception'

A man has been charged with racking up thousands of euro in hotel bills and then leaving without paying in a number of locations in Cork and Kerry.

Andrei Deleanu, who faces a total of 11 charges involving alleged theft or deception, appeared before Bantry District Court.

Mr Deleanu, aged 45, and with previous addresses at 5 the Vee, Cork Rd in Waterford and 112 Cluain Dara, Clonard Rd in Wexford, had already appeared before a sitting of the District Court last Saturday, when he faced seven charges. A further four charges were levelled against him in Bantry yesterday.

Happy New Year for Ryanair

Ryanair has raised its full-year profit after tax guidance to between €950m - €1bn, following a “stronger than expected Christmas and New Year travel period.” ryanair1217

It expects to finish close to the mid-point of this new range.

The aviation giant had previously said it expects to report profit after tax of €800m - €900m for the year.

Forward bookings for the period January to April are running 1pc ahead of this time last year, and Ryanair believes this will result in “slightly better” than expected average fares in its fourth quarter, it said in a statement.

Meanwhile, full year group traffic will grow to 154million passengers. It had previously guided at 153 million.

Cork Park Plan

A design competition, which has been launched for the redevelopment of Cork's Bishop Lucey Park between Grand Parade and South Main Street comes with a €30,000 prize luceypark

fund.

It is being promoted by Cork City Council and is being organised by the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland.

The council says the redevelopment of the park for the 21st century is a key element in the development of the city’s core.

It said they hope the competition will improve the park’s functionality and usability as a “soft space” while at the same time respecting its history and heritage. The park includes the exposed remains of the medieval city wall.

Pub's €5.8m profit

Drayton House Holdings, the company that owns Dublin's Oliver St. John Gogarty pub and hostel,has posted a profit of close to €5.8 million for the year that ended on February 28, 2019, while its turnover increased 3% to €17.4 million.

Drayton House Holdings also owns Dublin's Blooms Hotel, which the company's owner, Martin Keane, is planning to demolish and replace with a "quirky" four-star hotel that will have at least 140 bedrooms, assuming he receives planning permission to do so.

Closure Orders climb in 2019

The number of enforcement orders issued by the FSAI in 2019 rose 13% on the previous 12 months - meaning last year was the second consecutive year in which there was a fsai

n increase in such orders.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said 124 Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses for breaches in food safety legislation in 2019, up 13%, compared to 2018. Between January 1 and December 31, 2019, food inspectors served 107 closure orders, four improvement orders and 13 prohibition orders on food businesses throughout the country.

Six closure orders were served on food businesses last month. These were issued to The Carrots Tail Ltd in Dublin 6, Joe’s Take Away, 3 Dean Street, Kilkenny, Beef and Lobster on Parliament Street, Dublin 2 the Circle K Service Station, on Belgard Road, in Tallaght, Dublin 24, the Indian Aagrah/Bombay Brasserie on Sundays Well Road, Cork, and the main store and warehouse, bakery preparation area, temporary storage container and adjoining delivery area at Lidl in the M1 Retail Park in Drogheda, Louth.