Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister has claimed the country is on course for a return to economic prosperity in 2013 – but warned of more haircut budgets ahead.
Labor Party leader Eamon Gilmore made his comments as protestors clashed with police outside his party’s annual delegate meeting in Galway.
Gilmore told over 800 members of his party that Ireland is on course to meet all EU-IMF bail-out targets by next year and regain economic independence.
As he spoke, near riots broke out between anti-household charge protestors and police outside the Galway University conference hall.
“This Government has a clear strategy and a road map for recovery. There will be no more muddling through or hoping that something will turn up as with the previous administration,” Gilmore is reported as saying by the Irish Times.
“Economic recovery is the Government’s primary purpose but it is not an end in itself. It is the means to an end, to making Ireland a fair and just society.
“The Government is working to a plan. Firstly, we are restoring our international reputation.
“Ireland depends on the outside world, probably more than most other countries. We export 80 per cent of everything we produce. We rely heavily on foreign investment to create jobs.”
Gilmore added: “Second, we have set out to increase our exports and grow new markets. That is happening.
“Exports are up €3.7 billion last year, and we are making progress developing new markets.
“The third plank in the recovery strategy is to stimulate the domestic economy.
“Fourthly, we have to tackle the problem of distressed mortgages. The biggest fear any of us has is not losing our job, it is losing our home. I am deeply frustrated by how slow progress has been in this area.
“Fifthly, the State’s debt problem has to managed. ‘Don’t Pay’ might sound good as a slogan but it is neither smart, nor sensible, nor a solution.
“Finally, and not a moment too soon, we will reclaim our economic independence and say goodbye to the troika.”
The Wall Street Journal website quotes Gilmore as saying the junior coalition party has: Helped pull Ireland back from the edge of national bankruptcy and the country was on course to emerge from its international bailout program next year.
“We have now succeeded in pulling it back from the edge, stabilizing our economy and our finances, restoring our international reputation and laying the foundations for recovery,” he said.
Gilmore’s speech in full can be read here.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.ancavker | Apr 16, 2012, 04:42 PM EDT
SUre Eamon, and I believe in the wee people too!!
awoken32 | Apr 16, 2012, 02:24 PM EDT
@bythebay an im in dublin by the way,its you that hasnt a clue my freind
awoken32 | Apr 16, 2012, 02:23 PM EDT
@bythebay yeh we should have done it earlier,but better late than never,the imf are not finished with us yet,they want us to take another bailout pakage of them,we are getting scammed by the banks,burning the banks is a win win situation,keeping in bed with them is totally stupid,was it einstein that said the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over an over with the same results,he is 100% correct,we are still playing along with the enemy instaed of cutting them off,an your wrong about gerry adams he is not a terrorist he was a freedom fighter,the bomb was needed to bring the issues to the political table,norhtern ireland is a complicated issiue,but thats all gerry is good for,a politican is the south not a hope
MCCOLGAN1492 | Apr 16, 2012, 11:17 AM EDT
"Cant we all just get along"----Rodney King,famous smoked Irishman, after his famous ass whippin in LA. He got over it... Elect him Mao Tao of Erie....He could teach you a thing or two on Peace and Brotherhood.. That would be a good starting point for Ireland!!!
IrelandNorth | Apr 16, 2012, 07:52 AM EDT
Comrade Gilmore! You won't make Ireland a fair and just society by imposing the same household charges on citizens of widely disparate income levels. We may have succeeded in pulling the state economy back from the edge, but have we succeeded in pushing those who nearly bankrupted it over the same precipice? And Tanaiste (pron. Tawn-ish-teh)! I hate to be a stickler for detail. But the 26 county republic is not the 32 county island nation. No taxation witout real liberty, equality and fraternity!
MCCOLGAN1492 | Apr 15, 2012, 09:18 PM EDT
yup, just like the titanic....
aloistmartin | Apr 15, 2012, 09:07 PM EDT
And after All, thats what really matters, Isn`t It: Financial Independece. What do these Criminals take us for ? A Bunch of Beer Drinking and Spud eating Fools ?
awoken32 | Apr 15, 2012, 04:48 PM EDT
ireland should follow icelands lead an burn the bankers,they are already in recovery,real recovery,with politicans an bankers up in courts for their crimes,dont mind gilmore,last year his franchfurt speech makes his position now unbeleivable,they are all liars,working for the banking elite,none of them have the guts to do whats right by their people,VOTE NO in the upcoming referendum an save irelands sovernty,a no vote basically gives our country away
greensod | Apr 15, 2012, 02:38 PM EDT
How can people like this get elected?Tax collectors for the ECB.Gerry Adams take this con man too task and get the facts in front of the Irish people,the few that are left in Ireland that is.
ciaradexy | Apr 15, 2012, 09:59 AM EDT
Bythebay, maybe hes planning a mass default?? One can hope!