Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I was not party to the negotiations because I can only play a part in them at Eurogroup and ECOFIN meetings. We do not have an Irish representative at the technical talks but nor does any other country. The negotiations involve the representatives of the three institutions and of the Greek Government. By the middle of last week, all information emanating publicly and privately suggested that both sides were compromising. I cannot endorse the individual items the Deputy mentions. Within that range of items, there was certainly movement by the Greek authorities. There was a corresponding movement from the institutions and by late Wednesday evening it looked as if it was moving towards resolution of the issue with an agreement but that is not the position now. When the Greek Prime Minister spoke in the Greek Parliament on Friday night last, it was quite clear the situation had changed. The gap now seems to be again unbridgeable.