Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

One of the reasons that our ten-year bond yields have improved so significantly, with the interest charged declining from 14.5% to less than 7% over a period of months, is the view that has grown that Ireland is now a sound place in which to invest. If we were to go down the road, as Greece has done, of arguing for private sector investment - effectively debt write-offs - how could we then construct an argument that Ireland is a safe place to do business, a secure location in which to invest and a country from which one would wish to buy Government debt?

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