CRH finance director Mr Harry Sheridan has increased his stake in CRH by over 191,000 shares after exercising share options at various prices at a total cost of £410,000.

Mr Sheridan's wife, Mary Clare, has however sold 60,000 shares at the market price of 630p sterling to realise £378,000 sterling or £408,000. Mr Sheridan and his wife have, in effect, increased their stake in CRH by a net 131,000 shares worth £883,000 at virtually no cost.

Following the transactions, Mr Sheridan holds over 666,000 CRH shares worth £4.5 million at current prices. In a separate transaction, another CRH director, Mr Brian Griffin, bought 20,000 shares at an option price of 230.66p, bringing his stake in the group almost 101,000 shares.

Independent Newspapers company secretary, Mr David McGrath has realised almost £106,000 after buying shares at an option price and then selling them in the market. Mr McGrath bought 49,996 shares at an option price of 131p and then sold them in the market at 343p each.

In a separate transaction, Independent director Mr John Meagher has made a paper gain of almost £459,000 after buying shares at an option price. Mr Meagher bought 210,000 at the option price of 1201/2p and has retained them, bringing his stake in Independent to 2.46 million shares or just under 1 per cent of the total.

At Allied Irish Banks, non-executive director Mr Den is Murphy has realised £20,700 after selling 4,500 shares at 460p each. After the sale, Mr Murphy's stake in AIB totals 2,925 shares.