Kenny’s popularity boost backfires

A bid by Enda Kenny to use Ireland’s exit from the bailout to boost his popularity has backfired as it sparked confusion in Brussels.

The Taoiseach made the announcement of the Dec 15 date for the country to escape the financial straitjacket imposed by the troika as the centrepiece of his Fine Gael ard fheis speech earlier this month, but the move may have had a negative effect on the Coalition’s attempts to negotiate a smooth withdrawal from the IMF/EU/ECB controls.

Senior European sources say the address was interpreted in Brussels as meaning Ireland was seeking a “clean break” exit from the bailout terms and was not looking for a safety-net line of credit in case the money markets again downgrade Ireland as a bad bet when it regains economic sovereignty.