Rare praise from one of AIB’s board most trenchant critics came late into what was one of the oddest shareholders’ meetings ever held in Ireland.

The bid by Irish oil and gas exploration firm Petroceltic to prevent one of its shareholders from convening an extraordinary general meeting will be opposed, the High Court was told yesterday.

Irish exploration firm Petroceltic has criticised calls for yet more company EGMs and has reiterated its view that activist investor Worldview Capital Management’s sole interest lies in eroding the company’s value to a point where it can gain control of the business for less than fair value.