CRH announces appointment of Chairman Designate

The Board of CRH today appointed Mr. Kieran McGowan as Chairman Designate, to succeed the present Chairman Mr. Pat Molloy. Mr. Molloy, who has been Chairman since May 2000 and a Board member since 1997, will retire after the Company’s Annual General Meeting, which is scheduled for 9^th May 2007.

Mr. McGowan, who joined the Board of CRH in 1998, was Chief Executive of IDA Ireland until December 1998. He is a non-executive Director of a number of companies including Elan Corporation plc, Irish Life & Permanent plc and United Drug plc. He is also a Director of Enterprise Ireland and Chairman of the Governing Authority of University College Dublin.