Sat, 08 Jun, 2013 12:53:40 AM Kenny meets Niinisto, Katainen FTimes-STT Report, June 8 The President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö (L) and Prime Minister of Ireland, Enda Kenny at a meeting in presidential residence in Helsinki on Friday. Photo Lehtikuva Helsinki on Friday appreciated Dublin for its realistic approaches to overcome the economic crisis in Ireland which could make emergency budgetary response to cope with the situation.
‘Ireland has played significant role to bring necessary reforms to overcome the economic crisis,’ Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen said while meeting his Irish counterpart Enda Kenny in Helsinki. The emergency response during the crises had eased the situation, he added.
Ireland officially declared it was in a recession in September 2008.
Immediately the Irish government announced that it would bring forward the 2009 government budget from its usual December date to 14 October 2008 and came up with a number of pragmatic steps to address the economic crisis that marked huge unemployment and commercial property markets going into a severe slump with both sales and property values collapsing among others.
Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen (R) and his Irish counterpart Enda Kenny at a press conference at the Prime Minister's official residence on Friday. Photo Lehtikuva The Irish premier expressed gratefulness to the member states of the European Union for cooperation to overcome the situation.
‘We have responded to the crisis in a pragmatic way, although number of measures was painful to the Irish people,’ said Kenny at the meeting.
The Ireland moved to get debt clemency on the State investment in AIB and Bank of Ireland turned into critical stage following the debate on whether the European Stability Mechanism fund can be used directly for recapitalising banks.
The meeting focused on key EU issues including the agenda of the June European Council,- strengthening of the European Economic and Monetary Union, the banking union, growth and employment, and ways of attending to the European economic crisis.
Prime Ministers of Finland and Ireland. Photo Lehtikuva Ireland received EUR 85 billion-package in 2010 following a serious debacle in banking sector and Finland granted more than EUR 300 million loans for the country. Helsinki is also providing support to Dublin through the European Financial Stability Facility.
Earlier, the Irish Prime Minister also met with Finland president Sauli Niinistö and discussed various issues concerning relations both bilateral and under the European Union.
He participated in the two-day Economic Ideas Forum organised by the Centre for European Studies (CES) concluded in Helsinki on Friday.
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, who met with the Finland Prime Minister on Thursday, also participated in the forum in the run up to European Council summit slated for June 27 in Belgium.
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