Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-02-15-Speech-4-239"
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"en.20010215.11.4-239"2
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"Madam President, the economic unification of Europe is a great adventure, but fortunately we have fifteen Ministers of Finance who keep a close watch on each other in Ecofin. Although we cannot be absolutely sure of that, of course, since meetings are held behind closed doors and sometimes also behind a smokescreen. Only very exceptionally, when things are really getting out of hand in one country, does Ecofin open its doors, does the smokescreen lift and does the colleague concerned get a public reprimand. This week, Ireland became the first country to suffer this fate. Are things going so badly with the Irish economy then? Can we really not trust the Irish? Not at all. On the contrary, Ireland is doing well, as has already been mentioned by many speakers. For five years Ireland has enjoyed an average growth of 5%, with unemployment down from over 16% to scarcely 4% and a budget surplus of over 4.5%. Admittedly there is a threat of the economy overheating and there is a risk of inflation, and that was not within the framework of the agreements made by the ministers themselves. But all in all it is not strange that the Irish should feel harshly treated. However, much greater risks lie in wait. The possible next Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, has announced that he wishes to lower taxation despite a budget deficit and despite a ratio of public debt and gross national product that is more than three times the size of Ireland’s. What we wonder is whether the Council of Ministers will administer a public reprimand here too. Commissioner Solbes Mira, though we have doubts about the necessity of taking Ireland to task, in the latter case you can count on our support."@en1
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