Michael Noonan as he flies to Brussels: "Today I'm pessimistic"

The finance minister is going to Brussels for an emergency meeting on Greece tomorrow.

By Christina Finn Wednesday 11 Feb 2015, 8:00 AM

Feb 11th 2015, 8:00 AM 17,095 Views 136 Comments

https://jrnl.ie/1931780

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan speaking today in the Finance Committee.

Image: Oireachtas TV

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan speaking today in the Finance Committee.

Image: Oireachtas TV

THE FINANCE MINISTER Michael Noonan has admitted that he is ‘pessimistic’ about a solution being found for Greece.

Addressing the Oireachtas Finance Committee yesterday, he said: ”Today I’m pessimistic.”

This morning, he heads to an emergency meeting of eurozone finance ministers in Brussels.

He told the committee that he wanted Greece to stay in the eurozone. He said he didn’t want any strategy that would encourage the country to leave the EU.

However, he said from what he was hearing, he could not see a “solution emerging yet”.

The finance minister also said that he did not support a debt write-off, but did support the strategy of Greece renegotiating their debt repayment programme, similar to what Ireland has done.

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Michael Noonan as he flies to Brussels: "Today I'm pessimistic"

The finance minister is going to Brussels for an emergency meeting on Greece tomorrow.

Read: Alan Shatter wants a referendum on abortion … and divorce>