Olli Rehn – Take a hike. We will pass a budget when it is appropriate. The headline values are agreed. Political stability can only follow a change of government. I do not like my country patronised by the EU.

Rehn stresses importance of passing Budget
Updated: 14:25, Tuesday, 23 November 2010
EU Commissioner Olli Rehn has said it is essential that Ireland passes the Budget in the timeline foreseen, adding this would be best done sooner than later.

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Olli Rehn – Met Irish MEPs at European Parliament in Strasbourg
One News: Rehn says it is essential Budget is passed

EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn has said it is essential that Ireland passes the Budget in the timeline foreseen, adding this would be best done sooner than later.
The Commissioner was speaking following a confidential briefing with Irish MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, which lasted for just over an hour.

Mr Rehn said every day that is lost increases uncertainty and increases the economic and social cost.
He added that Ireland needs to adopt the Budget, get it out of the way and move on.
Mr Rehn also said that while he did not have a position on domestic politics, political stability is important.
However Socialist Party MEP Joe Higgins walked out of the meeting after just two minutes.
Mr Higgins said that the information was only being shared on the basis it was confidential and would not be divulged. He said not sharing the information would be a betrayal.
For many of the MEPs at the meeting the key issue was keeping Ireland’s 12.5% corporate tax rate off the table.
Earlier, it emerged that Taoiseach Brian Cowen telephoned the leaders of Fine Gael and Labour last night to stress the importance of the Budget being passed on 7 December.
It is understood that Mr Cowen did not directly ask for support for the Budget, but did offer access to officials in the Department of Finance and other Government departments to underline the necessity of passing it.
The Government’s view is that support from the International Monetary Fund and the European Union depends on the measures included in the Budget being passed.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said this morning it was imperative that the Budget is passed and that the Opposition gives as much support as possible.
Fine Gael Deputy Leader Dr James Reilly today called for an immediate General Election, echoing calls yesterday that the four-year economic plan should be implemented by a Government who will be in place for the duration of the plan.
The Labour Party last night said that while the Taoiseach might have the numbers to pass the Budget, the party would not be giving the Government a ‘blank cheque’.
Sinn Féin accused Mr Cowen of clinging to power.
The Cabinet is expected to give its final approval to a four-year economic plan at its meeting this morning. The plan is due to be published tomorrow.
Last night, Mr Cowen said he would seek dissolution of the Dáil after the current budgetary process is complete in the New Year.
Mr Cowen said to delay the Budget or not to proceed with it would do grave damage to the country.
The Taoiseach made the announcement after the Green Party called for a General Election to be held in January.
The Dáil sits this afternoon from 2.30pm, and it is expected there may be more criticism of the Taoiseach’s leadership at a meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party this evening.
Meanwhile, Green Party leader John Gormley has conceded that negotiations with the IMF and the EU over the bailout will involve what he described as an ‘unpalatable’ erosion of our sovereignty.
Speaking on TV3 last night, the Environment Minister also defended his party’s decision to insist on an early election and denied that the party had shown political naivety in doing so.
Euro ‘at stake’ in bailout
Elsewhere, Germany’s finance minister has said the fate of the shared European currency was at stake in the proposed bailout of Ireland.
Speaking in the German parliament, Wolfgang Schaeuble said: ‘It’s our common currency that’s at stake.’
Mr Schaeuble said Germany must take responsibility ‘otherwise there will be untold economic and social consequences for our country’.
Luxembourg’s foreign minister has said Ireland should not have to raise its corporate tax as a condition for receiving the bailout.
Jean Asselborn said: ‘The situation that Ireland finds itself in is already difficult enough. We should be careful not to strangle Ireland. Ireland has already lost so much economically.
‘And if we take away every attraction Ireland has for inward investment then things will only get worse. And the worse it gets, the more expensive will it get for Europe in the end.’
Elsewhere, Greece has won approval for a new tranche of rescue funding but the IMF and EU prescribed even tougher action on tax evasion, and waste in health care and state companies to earn another payout.
They also warned that Greek wages were too high and said the country, saved from imminent insolvency in May, faced potential problems in repaying on time although solutions were available in that case.
The expert auditor from the IMF Poul Thomsen said: ‘The programme is at a crossroad.’