What it says in the papers

IRISH TIMES

- The Irish Times reports on Dublin City Council figures which show that a freephone line used by homeless people to access emergency accommodation in Dublin cost more than €1m to operate last year. Independent councillor Mannix Flynn said the cost represented "a scandalous waste of money".

- The paper reports that almost 240,000 homeowners in Dublin will see no increase in Local Property Tax next year after Dublin city councillors voted to apply the maximum discount of 15 per cent to the rate charged, despite a recommendation by chief executive Owen Keegan that the full rate be levied.

- In business, the Irish Times reports that a 9 per cent reduced VAT rate brought in to boost the tourism industry is being utilised by the corporate caterers to multi-nationals such as Apple, Google and Facebook, while at the same time being denied to many genuine tourism businesses.

- The paper quotes An Post chairman Dermot Divilly as saying that the company will have lost about half of its main business by 2019 as e-mail continues to replace traditional post. He was speaking after naming David McRedmond as its new chief executive.

FINANCIAL TIMES

- The Financial Times reports that the World Trade Organisation has ruled that the EU has failed to eliminate billions of dollars in illegal aid to Airbus, handing US rival Boeing one of its biggest triumphs on the global stage in a 12-year battle with the European aircraft maker.

- The FT says British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has been rapped on the knuckles by Downing Street for claiming that Britain will launch its EU exit negotiations "by the early part of next year" and that Brexit could be completed within two years.

- The paper reports that Asian tycoon Li Ka-shing is assembling a bid for a majority stake in the gas distribution business of National Grid, Britain's electricity network operator.

IRISH INDEPENDENT

- The Irish Independent says a second union at Bus Eireann is set to ballot for standby strike action in the event of the company's introducing structural changes. SIPTU will ballot members before the end of the month, following the NBRU.

- The paper reports that developer Michael Howard is planning a landmark international business park at a site near Dublin airport that will probably cost more than €250m to construct. It says his company, Genvest, intends to build 13 Grade A office blocks on a huge site beside the M50.

- The Irish Independent also reports that British property giant Hammerson still requires clearance from the European Commission for its deals to acquire stakes in both the Ilac Centre and Pavilions Shopping Centre in Dublin.

- The paper says Irish property firm Wirefox, which is run by Bernard Eastwood, has bought a large shopping centre in Dumfries in Scotland which had been part of Project Eagle.

IRISH EXAMINER

- The Irish Examiner has carried out a poll with ICMSA, which shows that one in four people believe that the parents of morbidly obese children should face criminal prosecution for child abuse. On a sugar tax, 44 per cent are in favour, with 39 per cent opposed.

- The paper reports on newly-filed accounts for the media firm led by veteran TV3 broadcaster Vincent Browne, which show that Village Communications Ltd recorded profits of €237,413 last year, up from €206,485 in the previous year.

- The paper says a helipad could be operational at Cork University Hospital by December 2017.