Noonan promises progress on Anglo cost

Progress is being made in talks with the European Central Bank on reducing the cost to the taxpayer of bailing out Anglo Irish Bank.

Department of Finance sources have dismissed claims by economists Karl Whelan and Brian Lucey, who raised suspicions in an Oireachtas committee last week that the Government is not getting anywhere with the talks.

“It is definitely being progressed,” said a department source, adding that the issue is taking up all of the time of a number of officials who are working on it.