CRH keen on Lafarge, Holcim assets regardless of merger outcome

DUBLIN, March 19 (Reuters) - Ireland (Other OTC: IRLD - news) 's CRH (NYSE: CRH - news) would still be interested in acquiring assets from Lafarge (Paris: FR0000120537 - news) and Holcim (Other OTC: HCMLF - news) even if their merger does not go ahead, chief executive Albert Manifold said on Thursday.

"We like these assets clearly so if it does happen, we'd be delighted to acquire them, if it doesn't happen, perhaps they will look at divesting them," Manifold told reporters after shareholders approved the 6.5 billion euro ($6.96 billion) deal.

He said he was in daily contact with the Swiss and French firms, which began selling assets to help to get the deal done.

"I'm not going to speculate on whether it is or isn't going to happen. There are discussions going on in Paris or Zurich today to decide what they want to do over the next couple of days."

($1 = 0.9346 euros) (Reporting by Padraic Halpin. Editing by Jane Merriman)