AS CONFUSION continued about the intervention of the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Taoiseach Brian Cowen told the Dáil it was not in the national interest for him to indicate the Government’s negotiating position before talks begin today with officials of those bodies.
The Taoiseach said the Government’s main objective was to ensure, as quickly as possible, the Republic had a banking system which could access funds on the open market and that those markets would provide funds not only to Ireland but to other EU states at reasonable and affordable prices.
“There has been no dictation from anybody,” the Taoiseach insisted.
“What we’re involved in here is working with colleagues in respect of currency problems and euro issue problems that are affecting Ireland, they’re affecting other countries.
“They’re particularly affecting Ireland at the moment,” the Taoiseach added.
Mr Cowen said there had been support from European colleagues in respect of all the policy initiatives that this Government has taken to address the banking issue and the problem in the public finances.
“What we want to concentrate on now is in a focused way, over coming days, to sit down and see what way can assistance be provided to ensure that these issues are dealt with appropriately and properly in present circumstances,” Mr Cowen said.
“There has been no question, as has been stated all over the weekend, of a negotiation for a bailout,” he added.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the IMF were coming to Ireland “effectively to dictate the terms of a bailout to the Irish Government and the Irish State.
Mr Kenny said the Dáil and the country had never been given the full facts.
“The people were never given the full facts. And now we’re told that it’s all about structural deficiencies in the banking system, despite the fact that time and again the Government said that everything is now fine . . . Well now we know the truth.”
The Fine Gael leader claimed “the white flag has been raised the towel has been thrown in and like the prowler waves of the west coast they’re coming on Thursday.”
Green Party chairman Senator Dan Boyle posted a message on his Twitter account yesterday morning that appeared to express a view it was becoming increasingly difficult to continue in coalition with Fianna Fáil.
“There is a questioning of trust and an adding to uncertainty that is making the basis for being in government much more difficult,”
However, Mr Boyle later moved to indicate he was paraphrasing earlier comments he made in the Seanad, when he said “uncertainty” and “questioning of trust” could not be allowed to persist because it would call into question the ability of the Government.
Green TDs and Senators gathered yesterday evening for their weekly parliamentary party meeting in Leinster House, which was attended briefly by Ministers John Gormley and Eamon Ryan.
Speaking after the meeting, Dublin North TD Trevor Sargent said he believed Mr Cowen should deliver a televised “state of the nation” address.
“People need to hear from the leader of a country in a way that isn’t filtered or interrupted by the need to grab a headline,” Mr Sargent said.
He said the address should be “in the tradition, although it might sound a bit outdated, of the fireside chat”.