The Government will more likely launch its planned sale of a 25% stake in state-owned AIB in the first half of 2017 rather than later this year, according to Minister for Finance Michael Noonan.
Mr Noonan said: "We're considering the position.
"It's less likely we'll go in the last quarter of this year. It's more likely that we'll go in the first half of next year, if the market corrects."
Mr Noonan added there was nothing in the new Government's policy programme that should concern the country's banks and that, despite opposition pressure, it did not plan to bring in legislation to hand the Central Bank powers to set rates in the mortgage market.
The State owns 99% of AIB, with the country’s Strategic Investment Fund valuing the shareholding at €11.7bn at the end of March
