Noonan: Talk of second bailout 'ludicrous'
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has today dismissed suggestions that Ireland will need a second bailout as "idle speculation".
Earlier this week, the chief economist with Citigroup said the Government should be in talks on a second bailout because he said we will be unable to return to the bond markets in 2013.
However, Minister Noonan said that we are meeting all the targets set out under the terms of the first bailout, which is currently being reviewed by the Troika:
"The review has started very well," he said. "It’s very positive, we're meeting all targets and it’s ludicrous to be talking about a second bailout when we're … meeting all the targets in the first programme.
"So it's really speculation by economists who, at the start of the new year, speculate on these matters."
