FINE GAEL’S ENDA KENNY will travel to Berlin today to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to outline his party’s five point plan “to get Ireland working”.
Kenny said in a statement yesterday that key decisions about the shape of Europe’s financial support system will be taken in the coming weeks, and he intends to brief Merkel “on Ireland’s position”.
He said he would also signal Fine Gael’s intent to renegotiate the EU/IMF bailout agreement, if elected to government.
Kenny intends to “emphasise that, while we are open to new fiscal rules, we are not prepared to countenance any changes to Ireland’s corporate tax rate as this would be devastating for Ireland’s economic prospects”.
Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week at lunchtime on Sunday, Kenny said he understands the bailout deal can only be renegotiated on a cross-EU basis, but he believes there is “agreement in Europe” that the interest rate on Ireland’s deal is too high.
The EU is due to hold further negotiations next month on proposals initiated by Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy to encourage stronger economic cohesion among eurozone members. EU leaders have also agreed to decide on the possible extension to the EU’s €440bn bailout fund.
Those talks are due to be held in March, after the new Irish government has taken office on 9 March.
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