Finkelstein Thompson LLP, court appointed lead counsel in In re Allied Irish Banks, PLC Securities Litigation, Master File No. 02 Civ. 1738, announces that on July 17, 2006, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York granted final approval of a class action settlement. In granting final approval of the settlement, the court found that the settlement was fair, adequate and reasonable to the class. The lead plaintiff in the litigation asserted claims based on Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 regarding fraudulent and improper activities in Allfirst’s foreign currency exchange trading desk. The parties to the litigation have agreed to settle all outstanding and future claims for the sum of $2,500,000. For the purposes of the settlement, the Court certified the litigation as a class action consisting of:

All Persons who purchased or otherwise acquired American Depository Shares of Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. ("AIB ADSs") between February 6, 1999 and February 6, 2002, inclusive. Excluded from the Class are the Defendants, the present and former officers and directors of AIB, Allfirst Financial Inc. and Allfirst Bank, members of their immediate families and their legal representatives, heirs, successors or assigns and any entity in which Defendants or their successors have or had a controlling interest.  For more information regarding the settlement, please contact either Donald J. Enright or Benjamin J. Weir at FT's Washington, DC office at: (877) 337-1050.