The French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde is expected to announce her bid to become the new head of the IMF this morning.
The move will put the Irish government under pressure to state whether it will support her candidacy – even though the French government has taken a tough stance against Ireland’s bid to get a cheaper bailout deal.
Christine Lagarde has called a press conference for this morning, when she’s expected to announce her candidacy for the job of head of the IMF.
But there are mixed views on the French Finance Minister in Ireland.
She comes from a government that has taken a position against Ireland’s low corporation tax rate.
In the Dáil yesterday Enda Kenny refused to be drawn when urged by Independent TD Shane Ross to oppose Madame Lagarde’s candidacy.
However the European Minister Lucinda Creighton said the French Finance Minister has been quite supportive of Ireland’s situation – and Ireland would be well disposed to her candidature.
A spokesman for the Taoiseach said last night that Ms Creighton was expressing a personal view – and the matter had not been discussed by government.
Today, once her candidacy is declared – Ireland will have to decide whether or not to give Christine Lagarde its backing.
