Rehn to visit Ireland in November
EU Commissioner for economic and monetary affairs Olli Rehn is due to visit Ireland the week after next and will meet with Government, opposition parties and social partners to discuss the four-year economic plan.
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan confirmed that during his trip, Rehn will also assess the Government’s four-year budgetary strategy. It is understood the plan will be published shortly after this happens.
Rehn arrives on November 7 and will be carrying out briefings with Fine Gael, Labour and Sinn Féin spokespeople.
Labour’s Joan Burton said the commissioner’s visit reflected new policy the European Commission. “Obviously as we’re now only about six weeks out to budget day, Commissioner Rehn has decided to visit Dublin. It’s obviously part of the policy of the commission to now take a closer interest in how member states prepare their budgetary plans,” she said.
The Government announced yesterday that the budget adjustment figure is €15bn over the next four years but the largest adjustment will be seen in next year’s budget.