Unilever Ireland, which takes in companies and products as diverse as HB Ice Crean, McDonnell's of Drogheda, Birds Eye, Elida, Persil and the controlling stake in Lyons Irish Holdings, had pretax profits of £18.6 million in 1996, a sharp fall on the £22.9 million profits in 1995. The financial details on Unilever Ireland are contained in the document on the recommended offer to buy out the minority shareholders in Lyons.