Somers: New government should 'bear its teeth' at summit

The former head of the NTMA says Ireland should "bare our teeth" to Europe at a crucial economic summit next month.

EU leaders are expected to sign off on new arrangements for the European Financial Stability Facility when they gather on March 24.

There are concerns that other leaders will put pressure on Ireland's newly elected government to concede to changes in our corporation tax level.

Former chief executive at the National Treasury Management Agency Michael Somers says our 12.5%rate is of vital national interest, and we should dig in our heels.

“It cannot suit them to grind us into the ground altogether,” he said.

“We’ve already gotten an almighty kick from them, and I think we do need to bear our teeth a bit with them.”