For just Euro190 you can learn all you need to know about how to become a property investor in Ireland or abroad at an eight-week 'Property Ladder' course in the National College of Ireland, Dublin.

The course will discuss the best investment opportunities and pitfalls to be avoided and examine investment trends in Ireland, Britain, Spain, France and Portugal as well as emerging market opportunities in Cape Verde and Latvia. Other topics covered on the course will be: getting your foot on the property ladder, financing your investment property, how to release equity to purchase your home overseas and tax and legal implications of buying property.

The eight-week course will run from Monday 12 February until Monday 16 April for two hours between 7.30pm and 9.30pm. For further information contact Mary FitzGerald on 01-678 7916 or visit www. maryfitzgeraldpr. ie.

INSURANCE FOR BUY-TO-LET INVESTORS To help reduce the financial risk and stress of being a landlord a new insurance product has just been introduced to the Irish market.

'Rentassured' is designed to protect buy-to-let investments and provide peace of mind by paying the monthly rent owed by a defaulting tenant for up to 12 months (excluding the first month).

The policy also provides legal advice and legal costs for rent disputes which fall outside the remit of the Private Residential Tenancies Board. Rentassured will cover new tenancies, registered with the PRTB, where the tenant is in full-time employment and the property is a house, apartment or "at. www. rentassured. ie

POP-UP SHOP HITS DUBLIN From pop-up books to pop-up shops. The latest craze to hit the world of interiors and retailing, the pop-up shop is being championed by Dublin journalist cum savvy furniture retailer Alanna Gallagher. From Tuesday 13 to Sunday 18 February, from 12pm to 6pm, Alanna will showcasing her collection of vintage Argentine furniture from the 1950s, '60s and '70s - sideboards, desks, sofas, dining tables and chairs - at a pop-up shop on the corner of Haymarket and Smith"eld Plaza, Dublin 7. For more details, visit www. alannagallagherfurniture. com.

SEE MAGAZINE, PAGES 8-9 SMOKE FREE HOTEL The country has its first smoke-free hotel since the Westin Dublin enforced a total ban in all areas, including guestrooms at its College Green location. This is the second hotel in the group's chain, outside of North America, to introduce a smoke-free policy. In December 2005, all 77 Westin hotels in the US, Canada and the Caribbean adopted a total ban. Enda Mullin, general manager of the Westin Dublin and Area Manager Ireland of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, said that in recent years, the group has seen a great decline in the demand for smoking rooms. "We believe this initiative will help our guests check out of our hotel feeling better than they did when they arrived."

WOODEN REVOLUTION The Timber Frame Manufacturers Association is laying claim to 50% of the new housing market within the next three years. This will be up from the current share of 30%, while 10 years ago, timber frame only accounted for 5% of the new housing market. "We are still some way behind countries such as the US, Canada and Scotland, where timber frame accounts for up to 90% of new build, " according to Philip Mahony, manager of the ITFMA. The claim that this type of structure is more energy efficient and cost saving than traditional masonry build will be enhanced by the introduction of the new Building Energy Rating laws, he added.