Investment market:There is €350 million of investment property for sale in Ireland with more expected to come on the market shortly, according to the latest review of the investment market by Duncan Lister of Lisney.

The study shows turnover in the first three months of the year was €155 million, making it the busiest quarter since Q3 in 2008.

Lister said the demand for the larger ticket investments was dominated by overseas buyers. There was also a very healthy demand from domestic investors for properties up to €5 million.

Debt did not appear to be a factor so far in 2012, other than some refinancing of loans.

Ex-Game shop on 15-year lease

Dawson Street:The former Game shop on Dublin's Dawson Street has come on the letting market through agent Lisney.

The well-located premises, one door from Nassau Street, was previously let at a rent of €160,000 per annum. It is now available on a new 15-year lease with provision for rent reviews at five-year intervals.

The shop has a ground floor area of 180sq m (1,937sq ft) and a further 130sq m (1,400sq ft) of office and storage space in the basement.

Dawson Street attracts a substantial volume of pedestrian traffic.

Publican pays €2.9m for five shops

Castle Market:Dublin publican Paul Keaveny has emerged as the new owner of five retail buildings at Castle Market in Dublin city centre.

Keaveny, owner of the Dakota bar which runs from South William Street back to Drury Street, paid about €2.9 million for the parade of red-brick buildings in the fashionable Victorian shopping and dining enclave between the same two streets.

Savills secured a large number of offers for the retail investments, which have contracted rents of €257,000.

The same five shops were sold to property developer Bernard McNamara in June 2007, for €12 million.

He has debts of around €1.5 billion following the property crash.