Martin: SF suggestions on IMF are 'lunacy'

Fianna Fáil Leader Micheál Martin has said that it is"lunacy" to suggest that Sinn Féin could "kick the IMF out of town".

The party has repeatedly said during this election campaign that if elected to Government it would send the IMF packing.

But speaking on the campaign trail in Naas in Co Kildare today, Mr Martin said Sinn Féin is bluffing the electorate.

"It's lunacy to suggest that you can kick the IMF out of town," Mr Martin said.

"The IMF/ECB loan facility involves €50bn to pay doctors, teachers, nurses, public servants… it enables us to borrow that €50bn over the next three-year period at an interest rate that is lower than the market rate.

"So I don't see any sense or intelligence in saying to these people 'we'll manage ourselves' - we don't have that facility at the moment."