Michael Noonan stands ‘four-square behind’ Enda Kenny

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said he stands "four-square behind" Enda Kenny, arguing that the Taoiseach is the right person to lead the country through the forthcoming Brexit negotiations.

Speaking in Brussels ahead of a meeting of euro zone finance ministers, Mr Noonan said the country and the party were fortunate to have Enda Kenny as Taoiseach.

"It's only two months since he was elected Taoiseach and the parliamentary party of Fine Gael supported him unanimously for that office and the programme for government was supported unanimously so no issue arises," he said.

"I think the country and the party are fortunate to have Enda Kenny as Taoiseach now. He led the government which took the country out of the biggest crisis it had in two generations when we nearly slipped into bankruptcy. He saw the back of the troika, and he's presiding over a country that is growing at the fastest rate of the 28 in Europe. "

He said Ireland was now on the cusp of another crisis, as Britain prepared to leave the European Union.

"His skills in crisis management and his international contacts are very important. For example he is going to Germany tomorrow to meet chancellor Merkel. He's meeting President Hollande in Ireland the week after.

“There’ll probably be a new British prime minister within the week and it’s very important that somebody who knows them well and can make contact at the end of a telephone has built up the relationships that are n necessary.

“Brexit is going to take a while to sort. It’s probably a two-year period and we need somebody who understands crisis management and understands international negotiations and as I say we’re fortunate to have him and needless to say I stand four-square behind him.”

Asked about Fine Gael TDs who had expressed doubts about Mr Kenny’s continued leadership, Mr Noonan said “there are always people in parties who have different views.”

“That is why we have a Parliamentary Party meeting every week and they can express their views at the parliamentary party.

“But as I saw it was only a few months ago when the very same people unanimously endorsed him for the office of Taoiseach and unanimously endorsed the Programme of Government.”

On the issue of Brexit, Minister Noonan said he expected Home Secretary Theresa May to be appointed as Prime Minister imminently. "I'd like to congratulate her on her position now. It looks like she will be confirmed within the week if not within the day."

He said while calculations had shown that Brexit would reduce Irish growth rates by 0.5 per cent in 2017, this was only an estimation of the actual decision to leave.

"What we cannot calculate yet is what the new arrangement between the United Kingdom and the European Union would be," he said.

He added this would depend on the kind of relationship that would be negotiated - if the resulting relationship was close to the current situation where Britain remains in the single market and the free movement of capital and labour continued, the impact would be “very little,” bit a reversion to WTO rules and the reintroduction of hard borders would lead to a “quite severe” impact.

“That’s why it’s so important to have somebody like the Taosieach in charge on the Irish side because we foresee very complex negotiations which would need to be conducted by experienced people on our side.”

With EU finance ministers due to consider Portugal and Spain's failure to miss budget targets prescribed by the European Commission, Mr Noonan said he did not support heavy sanctions being applied to the countries, though he did endorse the European Commission's announcement last week that the two countries had not done enough to reduce their deficit.

“It’s a matter of fact that that finding is being made and should be made.”

He noted while Hungary had previously been threatened with the suspension of EU structural funds, the measure was never applied. "I expect that's what will happen," he said.