Covid-19 Update - 2020 Annual General Meeting

Grafton Group plc

Covid-19 Update - 2020 Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting ("AGM") of Grafton Group plc ("the Company") will, as previously announced, be held at 10.30am on 29 April 2020 at the Company's Corporate Office, Heron House, Sandyford Business Park, D18 Y2XC.  The Board regrets that it will not be possible for shareholders to attend the AGM following the recent decision by the Irish Government to extend its Covid-19 physical distancing measures until 5 May 2020 including a prohibition on non-essential travel and limitations on public gatherings.

Grafton considers the health, safety and wellbeing of shareholders and colleagues to be a priority and will implement the Government restrictions and the measures advised by the HSE to minimise the spread of Covid-19 in relation to the holding of the upcoming AGM.

The 2020 AGM will be held under extremely constrained circumstances in order to comply with the extended Government restrictions and the current HSE guidance, and as a consequence:

• The AGM will be held as a closed meeting;
• Shareholders will not be able to attend and anyone seeking to attend in person will be unable to gain admission;
• The AGM will by necessity be as brief as possible and the format will be purely functional;
• The AGM will proceed with the minimum quorum required;
• The Company will make arrangements, in compliance with the Irish Government's restrictions, such that the legal requirements that govern the holding of the AGM will be fully satisfied through the attendance of a minimum number of Directors and employees of Grafton Group plc who are also shareholders in the Company;
• All resolutions at the AGM will be decided on a poll and the results of the poll will be published on the Company's website, www.graftonplc.com, after the meeting; and
• The Board is strongly encouraging all shareholders to:

o  submit a proxy in advance of the meeting to ensure that their vote will be counted; and

o  appoint the chair of the meeting as their proxy rather than a named person who will not be permitted to attend the meeting in person.

Shareholders can, as previously advised, appoint a proxy:

a)   by returning their Proxy Form to the Company's Registrars, Link Registrars Limited at P.O. Box 1110, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland (if delivered by post) or at Link Registrars Limited, Level 2, Block C, Maynooth Business Campus, Maynooth, Co Kildare, W23 F854, Ireland (if delivered by hand) so as to be received no later than 10.30am on 27 April 2020; or

b)   electronically by visiting the website of the Company's Registrars at www.signalshares.com and entering the Company name, Grafton Group plc. Shareholders will need to register for the Share Portal by clicking on "Register" (if they have not registered previously) and following the instructions. Shareholders will need their Investor Code (IVC) which can be found at the top of their Proxy Form.

Shareholders may submit questions on the business of the meeting, together with evidence of shareholding, to the Company Secretary by post to Grafton Group plc, Heron House, Corrig Road, Sandyford Business Park, D18 Y2XC or by email to [email protected] so as to be received no later than 25 April 2020.

The current situation is constantly evolving and the Irish Government may change the current restrictions and/or implement new measures.  Any relevant changes between now and the date of the AGM will be communicated to shareholders through the Grafton Group plc website and, where appropriate, by RNS announcement. 

Ends

For further information please contact:

Grafton Group plc                      +353 1 216 0600

Charles Rinn                               Company Secretary