MONDAY, OCTOBER 11TH:Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan says he is "absolutely" sure the country would not need to seek a bailout from the IMF and European Union.
In an interview for Bloomberg TV, he says Ireland “is not in a balance of payments deficit position” but admitted the country did have “real fiscal and banking problems to address”.
“We had a big contraction last year. We contracted by 10 per cent in GNP terms in one year. We got it back to zero again this year. That’s quite a turnaround,” he adds. “We have a lot of companies, in ICT, in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, banking services, making a tremendous contribution to the economy [and] we want to encourage that investment not discourage it.”
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH
“We have made no application whatever for funding. As the Minister for Finance has outlined, we have funding up to mid-year because of the pre-funding arrangements done by the National Treasury Management Agency,” says Taoiseach Brian Cowen as he canvasses in Donegal ahead of the byelection.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH
Minister for Enterprise Batt O’Keeffe says on RTÉ Radio One’s This Week that he is “absolutely unaware of any moves from Europe”. He insists no such discussions have taken place at Government level and denies the Coalition is under pressure to apply for a bailout. “It’s been a very hard-won sovereignty for this country, and this Government is not going to give over this sovereignty to anyone else.”
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics in response to speculation Ireland was about to seek financial aid from Europe: “It is fiction because what we want to do is get on with the business of bringing forward the four-year plan.
“We obviously have to ignore a lot of this speculation because it is only speculation. We have not applied. There are no negotiations going on. If there were, Government would be aware of it, and we are not aware of it.
“There is nothing going on at the direction of Government in relation to this. I spoke to the Taoiseach this morning. I spoke with the Minister for Finance and absolutely nothing is taking place in respect of this.”
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport Mary Hanafin denies Ireland is discussing a possible bailout. “There is no question of it.”
“I am just back from the United States,” she adds, “where I met our global Irish network, and they are very concerned about media stories which have no foundation.”
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH
Taoiseach Brian Cowen tells RTÉ news that Ireland is not making any aid application to the EU or IMF “for the funding of the State” because the country is already funded right up to the middle of next year.
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan says it “makes no sense” for Ireland to request aid from the EU, reiterating that the country is fully funded to mid-2011.
“This country is not in a situation or position where it is required in any way” to apply for assistance.