Noonan to meet IMF officials in New York

FINANCE Minister Michael Noonan will meet International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials in Washington this week as part of the ongoing review of the bailout programme.

It comes as Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore insisted that a reduction in the interest rate being charged by the European Union on the bailout loans was still possible.

Mr Noonan last week said the value of such a reduction was being overestimated and that he wouldn’t yield to French demands to hike Ireland’s corporation tax rate in return for a cut.