Fine Gael divided over EU and IMF vote

Members of Fine Gael, particularly Richard Bruton and Leo Varadkar, are not in agreement as to whether they should back the governments €85 IMF/EU rescue package.

Fine Gael enterprise spokesman Richard Bruton suggested he would voted for the deal, saying, “We are critical of elements of it but we also had discussions with the IMF and EU, and pointed out the areas where we would be looking to develop new policies.

“There was an openness to that within certain parameters. Reform of the whole public service was one area and Fine Gael’s NewEra agenda of investment in infrastructure was another.

"There are problems with it but there is also scope and flexibility to work within it.”

Communications spokesman Leo Varadkar, meanwhile, said he was unlikely to vote for the deal. “I anticipate our decision will be what it was when we saw the details of the bailout,” he said.

“That is, we don’t think it’s a good deal. The interest rate is too high, there’s nothing on jobs and growth, and the bank deal says nothing about sharing the cost with bondholders.”