IMF denies Government applied for funding

IRELAND has not applied for any funding from the International Monetary Fund and the Government is taking “appropriate” fiscal measures, an IMF spokeswoman said.

“There have been no requests for financing support or any special request to the IMF,” Caroline Atkinson, the institution’s director of external relations, said yesterday at a press conference in Washington when asked about Portugal and Ireland.

“We do believe that the fiscal measures that the Government has announced and is implementing and discussing in its budget are appropriate and the right thing to do given the financing and fiscal pressures in Ireland,” she said.