BRUSSELS, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Ireland would welcome help in fixing the problems in its banking system but financial assistance to the country is not inevitable, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan said on Tuesday.
'Any assistance in relation to resolving the problem of the Irish banking system will be most welcome,' Lenihan told a news conference after a meeting of euro zone finance ministers.
European finance officials said the Irish government had agreed at Tuesday's talks to work with a team of experts from the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund to step up preparations for a financial aid package, should it be needed and should Ireland ask for it.
'We will take whatever decisive measures are required to address the stability of the euro zone,' Lenihan said, but he added that financial assistance to Ireland 'is not inevitable'.
(Reporting by Annika Breidthardt, editing by Rex Merrifield) Keywords: EUROZONE IRELAND/LENIHAN (timothy.heritage@reuters.com; +32 2 287 8632; Reuters Messaging: timothy.heritage.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
'Any assistance in relation to resolving the problem of the Irish banking system will be most welcome,' Lenihan told a news conference after a meeting of euro zone finance ministers.
European finance officials said the Irish government had agreed at Tuesday's talks to work with a team of experts from the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund to step up preparations for a financial aid package, should it be needed and should Ireland ask for it.
'We will take whatever decisive measures are required to address the stability of the euro zone,' Lenihan said, but he added that financial assistance to Ireland 'is not inevitable'.
(Reporting by Annika Breidthardt, editing by Rex Merrifield) Keywords: EUROZONE IRELAND/LENIHAN (timothy.heritage@reuters.com; +32 2 287 8632; Reuters Messaging: timothy.heritage.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.