Irish-headquartered building materials and cement products giant, CRH yesterday declined to comment on reports it had signed a collaboration agreement with its joint venture partner in France, Samse, to transfer its 45% stake in Doras to Samse.

Hundreds of thousands of people have converged on the Eiffel Tower to protest against the French president’s plan to legalise gay marriage and thus allow same-sex couples to adopt and conceive children.