Central Bank posts highest ever profit (€1.5bn)
The Central Bank has posted its highest ever profit, but warned that fiscal consolidation must continue if the economy is to fully recover.
The Bank made a profit of €1.5bn last year and will pay a dividend of €1.2bn to the Government.
Central Bank's governor Patrick Honohan said the exit of the Troika meant the Government needed to be even more careful with the State's finances.
He said the Budget could not prioritise short-term gains over long-term stability.
"The Government would like of course to be able to make adjustments that would be beneficial in the short run," he said.
"They won't want to do anything that is costly for the cost of borrowing in the long run, or to cause a deviation from the path they have set out."
