Merkel-Macron accord over €500bn reboot means 'fewer Irish people will lose their jobs' during Covid-19 crisis

The “breakthrough” agreement between Germany and France to push for the EU to share the costs of rebooting Europe’s Covid-19-devastated economy will mean fewer Irish people will lose their jobs during the crisis, experts have said.

The joint statement between Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron will help shatter opposition from EU states such as the Netherlands and Austria who have long resisted the idea their taxpayers should share the bills of others, and of the southern European states, in particular.