LUKE ‘MING’ FLANGAN has compared the government and Enda Kenny to a man in a dance hall who is afraid to ask the lady across the hall to dance.
The unusual analogy was used by the independent MEP in the context of Greece’s attempts to make it’s bailout more sustainable. Flanagan believes Ireland should be more proactive in negotiations and secure a debt write down.
Eurozone finance ministers meet today as the Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis will put forward the government’s alternative debt plans which would involve overhauling 30 per cent of its bailout obligations, replacing them with a 10-point plan of reforms.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan was pessimistic about a solution to the Greek crisis being found. Unless a new deal is agreed by the EU’s member states within the coming days Greece could run out of money when its current bailout deal expires at the end of this month.
Flanagan is in the same European Parliament grouping as Greece’s new governing party, Syriza. He said that the Irish government could learn from its Greek counterparts when it comes to negotiating skills, particularly in the area of leniency on debt repayments.
The Midlands North West MEP told EuroParlRadio’s Karen Coleman: “The Irish government are like that young man who looked across the dance floor, every night, every week he went out, and never asked the lady to dance across the hall.
“Maybe he might have been refused, but unfortunately the way Enda is going about it, he’ll die wondering if he would have ever have got the dance. You’ve got to ask and we’re not even asking and we’ve got to learn from Greece, at least they’re asking.”
He said that Greece’s influence in the EU at this point in time “should be a lesson for everyone”.
Flanagan also raised concerns about the possibility of Greece exiting the euro, saying it was “absolutely ridiculous” to suggest that the EU and eurozone would “just get over it”.
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