Taxpayers’ stake in banks falls over €10bn

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe's refusal to sell more shares in three bailed-out banks has seen the taxpayer's stake fall by more than €10 billion in less than two years, it can be revealed.

The public holdings in AIB, Bank of Ireland and PTSB have “collapsed” and as a result Mr Donohoe has been forced to pull back from any move to re-privatise the banks nationalised a decade ago, saying such plans are “on hold”.