Debt extension ‘not inevitable’

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has said that the Government has been given no official indication from the IMF/ECB/EU troika that Ireland will be given longer to pay back its bailout debts.

Despite reports suggesting the Government was in talks with the troika over a debt maturity extension, Mr Noonan said he didn’t feel an extension announcement was inevitable; certainly not before this week’s Ecofin meeting of European finance ministers.

Mr Noonan added that the Greek election results would have “no direct influence on Ireland”, but that the stability it might bring to the wider eurozone will benefit us.