The chairwoman of the Small Firms Association, Ms Lorraine Sweeney, has sold her interest in the Four Star Pizza chain to her sister, Ms Anne O'Leary, for an undisclosed sum. Ms O'Leary has been managing director of Four Star Pizza since its foundation five years ago and, until now, held a minority stake in the business. The company owns five pizza outlets and has franchised six others.

Aside from the undisclosed cash payment, Ms O'Leary also transferred her minority stakes in the two Dublin city centre Beshoffs outlets and the Summerhill Hotel in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, to Ms Sweeney. Ms Sweeney plans to use the income from the sale to expand the Summerhill Hotel.