Brussels, 10/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 10 June 2011, EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn sent messages of sympathy to the family of former Irish Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, who has died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 52. He praised Brian Lenihan's courage and strength in the negotiations of Ireland's economic programme with the European Commission, the ECB and the IMF, required as part of an international aid package of €67.5 billion.
Earlier in the week, Brian Lenihan's successor, Michael Noonan, slammed the intransigence of countries like France vetoing any reduction in the interest rate on loans to Ireland until the country increases its corporate tax rate. He told the Irish parliament that the countries blocking the reduction did not have any serious negotiating position because any money they hope to make from keeping the interest rate high would be very low compared with the losses Ireland would suffer if it increased its company tax rate. (M.B./transl.fl)