14/10/2013

Ireland To Exit Bailout In December - Taoiseach

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said Ireland is on track on leave its international bailout programme in December.

Speaking at the Fine Gael party conference in Limerick, Mr Kenny said the "economic emergency will be over" for the country, there are still challenging and "fragile times" ahead.

In his speech, he commented: "Two years ago, I addressed the Irish people and said that I wanted to be the Taoiseach who would retrieve our economic sovereignty and independence.

"The decisions we have taken, many of them tough – government and people working in partnership – mean that this goal is now within our grasp.

"Tonight I can confirm that Ireland is on track to exit the EU/IMF/ bail-out on December 15th.

"And we won't go back. It won't mean that our financial troubles are over.

"Yes, there are still fragile times ahead. There's still a long way to go. But at last, the era of the bailout will be no-more.

"The economic emergency will be over.

"But the exit from the bail-out is not an end in itself. In fact it's just the beginning. The beginning of our freedom to choose the kind of Ireland we want to build."

In 2010, Ireland was forced to accept a €85bn bailout after its largest banks collapsed.

The Taoiseach admitted that most people had been affected by the bailout in the last couple of years, but stated that their "huge sacrifice" was paying off.

His speech comes ahead of the national budget which is due to be released tomorrow (15 October), and warned that it would be "tough" due to a further €2.5bn in spending cuts and tax increases.

(JP/IT)

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