Gilmore rejects ‘inevitable’ second bailout claims

The Tánaiste has rejected claims the Government has “conceded” that a second bailout will be needed by arguing that a no vote in the fiscal compact referendum would block future funding.

Eamon Gilmore told the Dáil that the Government was “confident that we will exit the programme and get back into the markets” when the €85bn bailout scheme ends in 2013.

He was responding to remarks from Independent TD Shane Ross, who said the Government’s argument that a no vote would prevent us from accessing Europe’s permanent bailout fund — the ESM — amounted to an admission that a bailout would be needed.