The Taoiseach says Ireland’s presidency of the Council of Europe would ensure non-euro countries like Sweden were not left out of talks to deepen the integration of the countries in the single currency.
Mr Kenny was speaking after a meeting at Government Buildings in Dublin yesterday with his Swedish counterpart Fredrik Reinfeldt.
“While it is important for the euro area that the euro countries draw closer together, we have made it very clear that because of our understanding of this, the non-euro countries should not be left outside those discussions and Ireland’s presidency will see that they’re absolutely fully involved,” Mr Kenny said.
Mr Reinfeldt said Ireland’s economic reforms provided an example for Europe to follow, warning that a huge number of jobs would be lost if the Government did not continue down this path.
As a country that does not use the single currency, Sweden gave a €600 million bilateral loan to Ireland under the bailout programme.
