[转贴] Ireland conceded Sunday that it will need a financial rescue package

蓉儿

TEL AVIV (MarketWatch) — After weeks of insisting that it needed no bailout, Ireland conceded Sunday that it will need a financial rescue package from the European Union and International onetary Fund, according to media reports.

Ireland’s finance minister, Brian Lenihan, declined to specify a figure except to say that it would be less than 100 billion euros ($136.7 billion),the reports say.

The Sunday Times of London had reported earlier that Ireland would seek a package valued at as much as 120 billion euros.

Lenihan said Ireland was running a deficit of $26 billion and could not finance that amount at current market rates, the reports say.

Lenihan also said Irish officials also were seeking backing for Ireland’s debt-burdened banks.

Earlier in the day, the Sunday Times of London report said the IMF, EU and European Central Bank were preparing a 120-billion-euro ($164 billion) bailout of Ireland, requiring the country to raise taxes and nationalize more banks.