Graph on ‘phantom’ Foreign Direct Investment created by researchers Jannick Damgaard, Thomas Elkjaer, and Niels Johannesen from the University of Copenhagen

A large proportion of the world’s stock of foreign direct investment is “phantom” capital, designed to minimise companies’ tax liabilities rather than financing productive activity, according to research.

Nearly 40 per cent of worldwide FDI – worth a total of $15tn – “passes through empty corporate shells” with “no real business activities”, the study by the IMF and the University of Copenhagen found.

Instead they are a vehicle for financial engineering, “often to minimise multinationals’ global tax bill”, said researchers Jannick Damgaard, Thomas Elkjaer, and Niels Johannesen, who carried out the study.

…Nearly two-thirds of Ireland’s inward investment is “phantom”, the IMF study found.

Almost two-thirds of Irish FDI is ‘phantom’ – IMF study (The Irish Times)

The Good news Edition of the Irish Sun

Featuring only good news stories.

In fairness.

Including INSIDE:

Jaxson Coss

Strangers send birthday cards to a friendless four-year-old boy after his mother contacted the Irish Sun to say he hadn’t received any.

You’re blubbing.

I’m not blubbing.

THEY’RE ALL 4 YOU! Dublin boy with ‘no friends’ celebrates 4th birthday with hundreds of cards from around world after special appeal (The Irish Sun)

Pic: Lorraine O’Sullivan (The Irish Sun)

The Greenery, Donnybrook, Dublin 4

This afternoon.

Via RTÉ:

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has said a “grave and immediate danger to food safety” was present at a Donnybrook restaurant where a live mouse was found in a kitchen.

The inspection at The Greenery on 21 August also found a large amount of rodent droppings behind fridges and on shelves storing foodstuffs.

The Greenery was one of six premises that was subject to closure orders [all lifted] in August, including Celtic Pure water [after ‘naturally-occurring’ arsenic was found in its bottled water]….

Inspectors find mouse in kitchen of Dublin restaurant (RTÉ)

Pic: The Greenery

Dublin Rental Watch tweetz:

Lisa Heavey offers a ‘cottage surrounded by landscaped gardens’. Sheds are usually in gardens! Cannot find relevant planning. Photos suggest no radiators. Advertised for one but lists all schools in the vicinity?

Rossberry avenue, Lucan, Co Dublin (Daft.ie)

Gulp.

Yesterday.

Dublin Castle.

To celebrate National Services Day, members of the emergency services, including Defence Forces, Gardai. and St. John Ambluance, took part in a public display of their skillz – to awestruck tykes – after parading through the centre of Dublin.

Name that piece above (carried by Sgt Aine Power), anyone?

Rollingnews

Áine – Ghost Train

Now that’s what I call a powerful singer.

Hailing from County Cavan, Áine can deliver a power ballad with such aplomb as to make the likes of Adele and Lana Del Ray look nervously over their shoulder pads.

This is a live performance of a song from her new 5-track EP Dislocated.

Nick says: Even better than the rail thing.

Áine

‘Na hOileáin’

By Barry McKenna.

An abstract representation of the islands off the West Kerry Coast, namely Sceilg Mhichíl (Skellig Michael), An Blascaod Mór (The Great Blasket Islands), An Tiaracht and Inis Tuaisceart/An Fear Marbh (The Dead Man).

The heights of the island are accurate relative to each other and they are arranged in the order when viewed from the West Kerry coast.

Yours for €25.

We have ONE free print to giveaway to the first reader out of the hat to name the island Star Wars Episode VII:The Force Awakens was shot.

Hat MUST close at 2pm.

UPDATE: ‘Spider’ was the first name out of the hat. Thanks all.

Na hOileáin (The Islands) (Etsy)

Irish-made stuff to broadsheet@broadsheet.ie marked ‘Irish-Made Stuff’

Broadsheet.ie