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International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn said today that Ireland can manage its fiscal affairs well, and the fund has had no request for aid.
"I have not been in contact with Ireland," he told reporters on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit in Yokohama, Japan. "So far I have not had a request, and I think Ireland can manage well..."
He said the IMF would be willing to help Ireland if needed in the future, but "until now it's business as usual".
Taoiseach Brian Cowen and the European Commission last night dismissed a report by Reuters news agency that Ireland was already in talks about a drawdown of funds from the EU’s emergency fund.
“We have made no application whatever for funding. As the Minister for Finance has outlined, we have funding up to mid-year because of the pre-funding arrangements done by the National Treasury Management Agency,’’ Mr Cowen said as he canvassed ahead of the Donegal South West byelection. “So the sovereign, if you like, has that funding arrangement in place. We don’t have to borrow any money in respect of the sovereign issues that affect the Government . . .’’
