List of EBS bidders to be revealed within days

A SHORTLIST of bidders to buy the EBS Building Society is expected to be announced by the Government within a few days.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Finance said yesterday the Government wouldn’t announce the final list yesterday as anticipated.

The two bidders thought to be given the green light to get involved in takeover talks are said to be Irish Life and Permanent, which intends a merger of its banking business Permanent TSB with the EBS, and Dublin-based Cardinal Asset Management.