Government moves to play down Varadkar’s second bailout comments

[xchrom]

http://www.thejournal.ie/government-moves-to-play-down-varadkars-second-bailout-comments-145855-May2011/

THE GOVERNMENT HAS moved to play down comments by Leo Varadkar that Ireland may need a second bailout.

The comments by the Minister for Transport were made in an interview with the Sunday Times and were reported worldwide yesterday as Varadkar suggested that Ireland’s inability to return to the bond markets meant that “a second programme” may be needed.

But his spokesperson yesterday told the Irish Times that Varadkar had been speaking about a “hypothetical” situation.

However, the opposition, principally Fianna Fáil, has accused Varadkar of making comments that could lead to “further confusion” on the issue of Ireland’s EU/IMF loan.