Our homes are irritating us


Celebs make us home sick, according to a survey carried out by Ikea to mark the launch of its 2009 catalogue. Research by the furniture retailer revealed TV home makeover shows and celebrity homes leave many of us feeling depressed about where we live – a condition labelled 'Irritable Home Syndrome' by a health expert. Those most affected are 25- to 35-year-olds.


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No pane, no gain says Senator


Feeling the cold? Senator Windows, Ireland's leading supplier of windows, doors and conservatories, has teamed up with Pilkington to launch a new energy-saving glazing system, energiKare, that it says can reduce the amount of energy lost through windows by up to 90% – which is enough to run nine TVs for a whole year or make 34,000 cups of tea. For more information call 1850-77 44 55; www.senatorwindows.com.


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Going up


The number of Dunnes Stores in Drogheda. Last week the supermarket announced it is has begun recruiting 150 staff for its 40,000sq ft store at the new South Gate shopping centre in Drogheda, due to open 28 November. This will bring to four the number of Dunnes Stores in and around the
Co Louth town, creating employment for 410 people.


Going down


The nation's mood. We're officially in a recession, the world banks are facing a meltdown, bills are rising, and last week the country's biggest estate agency Sherry FitzGerald said in a report: "Irish property is unlikely to experience again the exceptional performance enjoyed between 1995 and 2006."


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New Drogheda route underway


The North Drogheda Environs Group (NDEG) last week welcom­ed An Bord Pleanála's decision to grant a compulsory purchase order and planning permission for the 5.6km Port Access Northern Cross Route (PANCR). As well as removing 3,000 vehicles daily from the centre of Drogheda, the PANCR will act as the main traffic artery for north Drogheda. It is part of a €141m infrastructural package for Drogheda between Louth County Council and the promot­ers of Sienna Valley, a new residential community which will incorporate three schools, a train station, 30-acre park, sports campus and homes. Construc­tion starts next year and the project will take seven years.


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On the move Redfords


While some estate agencies are closing down, others letting staff go, Redfords last week announced that it is opening a new office on Cork's South Mall. The slump obvious-ly hasn't hit Cork, or if it has they're pretending not to notice. To celebrate the launch Redfords' is holding an open evening at their new offices on 10 October. (Pictured is the new Redfords team: Chris McCarthy, Mark Hornibrook, Katriona O'Dwyer, Pat Clancy and Declan Madden