DUBLIN (Reuters) - It is not yet inevitable that Ireland will launch an initial public offering of state-owned Allied Irish Banks (I:ALBK) in the coming weeks and the government will have to decide by the middle of May, finance minister Michael Noonan said on Monday.
Ireland has appointed a number of investment banks to act as a bookrunners and global coordinators for the potential sale of a 25 percent stake in AIB and Noonan has said the nearest window to sell the shares would be some time in May or June.
"It's not inevitable yet, but all the preliminary hurdles are being crossed successfully. It will be about mid-May before we reach the point of no return," Noonan told reporters.