Kenny dismisses criticism of failure to secure rate cut

ENDA KENNY brushed off criticism of his failure to meet the French president over Ireland’s bailout costs, inquiring whether he should just ring up the Élysée Palace and say ‘I’m here’.

The Taoiseach’s challenge over failing to meet Nicolas Sarkozy came as the opposition called for a diplomatic offensive on Ireland’s EU loans at today’s EU leaders summit.

Fianna Fáil attacked EU institutions and called on leaders, including Mr Kenny, meeting in Brussels to stop talking and start acting on the euro crisis.

But speaking in Dublin, Mr Kenny defended the limited progress made so far on securing a cut on the 5.8% interest rate on Ireland’s loans.

He said that during the summit he expected to meet President Sarkozy, who wants Ireland to dilute its corporation tax rate in return for a 1% interest cut on the loans.

Mr Kenny said it may be “appropriate” to raise the rate cut with Mr Sarkozy but he was not expecting “riveting or major changes”. He added: “If the situation arises that it’s appropriate to have a meeting with President Sarkozy on this matter, I would be happy to do so. What do you want me to do, ring up the Élysée [Palace] and say ‘I’m here I need to speak to you.”

Fianna Fáil leader Michael Martin earlier told the Dáil that EU institutions overseeing member state financial troubles had so far failed to act comprehensively on the euro crisis.

He said the agenda for the EU leaders summit was “short and unambitious”.

He also called the European Central Bank, one of Ireland’s lenders, a “flawed” institution.

Speaking in Dublin, Former European Commissioner Peter Sutherland said it was “unacceptable” that France was making links between Ireland’s corporation tax and a lowering of our bailout interest rate.

Meanwhile, Labour backbencher TD Tommy Broughan broke ranks with his government party in the Dáil and called for a referendum on the bailout to be put to the people.