Ireland’s bailout battle rumbles on

VICTORIES can be won or lost in just small moments.

As Taoiseach Enda Kenny knows, the sweet smell of success can disappear quickly as has happened recently with Roscommon’s emergency services plaguing his government’s honeymoon period.

His junior Europeanaffairs minister was in Meath yesterday to help fight an altogether different struggle.

Beaming from ear to ear, Lucinda Creighton and a host of Irish politicians greeted European Parliament president Jerzy Buzek, who was visiting the Battle of the Boyne site.

But it’s more like the Battle of the Bailout as in the coming days the former Polish prime minister will be asked to lend support to help cut our bailout interest rate.

It’s hoped that if Greece gets a lower interest rate on loans, Ireland could benefit too.

The president is in Ireland for a two-day visit.

And as Mr Buzek yesterday listened attentively to stories about the bloody 1690 battle between the Jacobites and Williamites on Meath’s fields, you could see he was definitely being courted for all the good press that can go out to the international community from this troubled little nation.

An enthusiastic Ms Creighton did her best to sum up his influence among European MEPs, some, including French ones, who have voiced opposition to a rate cut for Ireland.

“He’s hugely influential and very important and anybody who ignores the European parliament would do so at their peril.”

Mr Buzek will join Ms Creighton and the Taoiseach for a “working” breakfast this morning, where the possibility of a rate cut will be raised, the minister said.

Amid a backdrop of soldiers in attire with muskets to mark the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne yesterday, Mr Buzek met Irish MEPs, councillors and foreign ambassadors at the site’s visitor centre.

But as he signed the traditional visitor’s book inside, over his head hung an old map of Europe, showing an enlarged France and Germany beside little Ireland.

It’s an image that today reflects the Government’s uphill battle to get those nations to agree on a rate cut.

Mr Buzek said European MEPs would support a rate cut, adding: “I’m quite sure if you [Ireland] would like to show that you’re responsible, I’m quite sure that from the other side that you can expect solidarity.”

He later said the issue would be discussed in Europe in the autumn.

In the meantime, expect Ireland’s Battle of the Bailout to continue.