DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's pledge to sell no more than a 25 percent stake in any bank before the end of 2018 will not inhibit its freedom to act and is just an acknowledgement that it will dispose in a controlled way, Ireland's finance minister said on Thursday.
The new minority administration's policy programme published last week signalled that the government may take a more active role in the still mostly state-owned sector and potentially keep hold of bank stakes for longer than anticipated.
"The provision in the new programme for government that we not sell more than 25 percent of any bank by end 2018 is just a formal acknowledgement that we intend to exit these investments carefully and in a controlled manner and it will not inhibit our freedom of action," Michael Noonan said in a speech.
