Irish PM: Thanks Europe, Warns Bond Holders
Ireland’s new prime minister Enda Kenny has thanked both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet for their backing of the Irish people through the recent financial crisis.
In an exclusive interview with CNBC on Wednesday Kenny made it clear the support of Ireland’s euro zone partners has saved the Irish economy from an even worse fate.
“Remember this – the ECB has been very good to Ireland. And they’ve injected very substantial, extensive, capital and liquidity into our banks. Monsieur Trichet himself has been a very good friend of Ireland,” Kenny said.
“The German Chancellor, the German Minister of Finance and others have been very favorably disposed to the decisions that Ireland have made already.
And that the new government have made – in tackling head-on the extent of the challenge that the country faces,” he said.
Kenny, who was speaking to CNBC before heading to the US for meetings with investors in New York, said he wants Ireland to pay its own way and refused to be bullied on Ireland’s low corporate tax rates.
“We want to pay our way, we want to play our part, we want less money from Europe, but more flexibility,” he said.