Brussels, 24/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - Ireland, which is more than ever determined to overcome the crisis and stick to the austerity programme imposed by the IMF/EU bail-out plan, fears collateral damage in the event of disaster in Greece. “We have to be protected if anything happened with Greece”, namely if the austerity programme were rejected next week by the Greek parliament, said Prime Minister Enda Kenny addressing the press after the summit. The Irish government can “under no circumstances” allow the enormous efforts made by Ireland to overcome its current crisis to be undermined by a disastrous Greek scenario. Clarification was requested and “that clarification was given”, Kenny said, without, however, wishing to give further details. He said the other European leaders were pleased to note that Ireland is “on track” towards implementing its budgetary commitments in the bail-out framework while gaining economic competitiveness. The country also plans to return to the markets “as soon as possible”.
Interest rate and corporate tax. Enda Kenny held what he called a very “convivial meeting” with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, essentially in order to speak of the link drawn by Paris and Berlin between the fall in interest rates on loans granted by the EFSF rescue fund, as Dublin would like, and the rise in corporate tax in Ireland. France continues to insist on this reduction from corporate tax but “we are not going to do that, that's very clear”, Kenny said, underlining on several occasions that the reduction in interest rates on bail-out loans had been “agreed”. Technical experts will continue their discussion on this subject, Kenny said. (H.B./transl.jl)