Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

We all know the financial support programme is important to the country. It is agreed across Europe that these financial frameworks and support programmes should be sustainable. The communiqué on 11 March was very clear on the matter, but nothing has happened on the Irish programme. Nothing has moved towards a conclusion on the Irish programme. The evidence coming back every day is that either Germany or France in particular have been encouraged to keep pushing Ireland for unreasonable concessions on the issue of not just the tax rate but the base because of what appears to be a changed negotiating stance on the part of the Government. The bottom line from Europe seems to be that either it wants Ireland to recover in a way which helps everyone or it does not.

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