If some industrial company announced plans for an €85 million investment in the Republic, it would no doubt be all over the media, with Bertie Ahern and Mary Harney clambering over each other to get in the picture.

So why was it that when Danish group Exsos and an Irish investment consortium announced plans to invest €85 million in up to 10 nursing homes across the State there was barely a flicker of media interest. Maybe old folks homes aren't a particularly exciting story but is an investment like this any less newsworthy than some new sweatshop call centre?