Brussels, 20/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - Before the European Parliament Economic and Monetary Committee, the Irish Finance Minister, Charlie McCreevy, once more expressed his surprise in the reprimand that the European Commission had sent to his country for not having stuck to the Broad economic policy guidelines for 2000. At the same time, he wanted to underline that this case had not caused any cooling in the relations between Dublin and the Commission, and that it was closed and that it is now necessary to deal with the future. The Minister, who recognised that Ireland was able to draw considerable benefits from its membership of the European Union for some thirty years, painted a positive picture of the economic situation in his country, when citing, in particular, the rate of economic growth, its budgetary surplus, the fiscal tightening and the encouragement of saving. Moreover, he said, economy is no longer in such danger of overheating. Mr McCreevy also explained the specificities of the Irish economy, very open and more influenced by the world economy that those of most of the other Member States. According to him, as a result it is not easy to apply the Broad economic policy guidelines in the same fashion in all the Member States. At the same time, the Minister asserts the importance of the Stability and Growth Pact for Ireland.