Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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184. To ask the Minister for Finance the discussions, if any, he held on Ireland's exit from the IMF programme with Christine Lagarde; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18601/13]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, we are now in the final year of our programme. The focus of Government is to achieve a successful exit from the Programme and a sustainable return to market based funding. We continue to meet our programme commitments and our strong implementation record has been recognized by our external partners and has given confidence to the financial markets. We continue to move towards the goal of fully regaining durable and sustainable market access during 2013. The continuation of regular Treasury Bill auctions which recommenced last July, and our bond issues to date are positive steps in this direction. The issue, in January 2013 of an existing 5-year bond in an amount of €2.5 billion at a yield of 3.32% and the issue in March 2013 of a new 10-year bond at yield of 4.15% demonstrate that we have re-connected with a diversified investor base across many key geographic areas.

With regard to discussions with Ms Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the IMF, I have taken the opportunity for a regular informal exchange of views with the Ms Lagarde, in the context of her participation in meetings of the Eurogroup Ministers. Ms Lagarde undertook an official visit to Dublin in early March in the course of which she held discussions with myself, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste. More recently, I also met with Ms Lagarde at the Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington in mid-April. I also had the opportunity to speak with Ms Lagarde en marge of the St. Gallen Symposium in Switzerland from 1st to 2nd May 2013. My discussions with the Managing Director have allowed for an exchange of views in relation to Ireland's position under the Joint EU-IMF Programme.

Clearly, as a country in the final year of its programme, the discussions have also covered exit strategies and the range of supports which might be available to Ireland. All options will be considered in the light of what is appropriate for Ireland. Evidently, this will require further consideration and no decisions have been taken to date by Government.