Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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115. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will report on his recent meeting with IMF Secretary General, Ms Christine Lagarde. [30981/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Managing Director of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, visited Dublin on 25-26 June to attend a conference, ‘The Euro at 20’, organised by the IMF together with the Central Bank of Ireland which also hosted the event.

I met with Ms Lagarde on Monday 25th June during the course of this visit. The meeting did not have a formal agenda. However, in the course of the meeting we discussed developments in the Irish economy and the outlook for the period ahead. Our discussions also touched on EU and international economic and financial developments, including Brexit.

This discussion took place in the context of the subsequently published International Monetary Fund Article IV Report on the Irish Economy. As the Deputy will be aware, the Article IV process is a requirement for all members of the Fund and takes place on a periodic, usually annual, basis. It is a long-standing element of Ireland’s regular engagement with the IMF and focusses on medium to longer-term policy issues. This year’s Report recognises Ireland’s continued strong economic growth, leading to a rapid reduction in unemployment and strengthened public and private balance sheets. It also notes that our economy continues to grow at a pace well above the EU average and it is approaching full employment. The Report outlines that the outlook is expected to remain favourable, although significant external risks, in particular Brexit and an escalation in global protectionism, will pose challenges.