The public expenditure minister has hit out at the IMF former mission chief for Ireland, who suggested we could have had a better deal on our debt burden.
Ashoka Mody yesterday told Newstalk Lunchtime that Ireland could have negotiated a write-down as well as a "slower pace of austerity" - but ended up following the demands of Berlin and Brussels.
"Ireland fell in with that culture, Ireland had its opportunity to, not just for itself but for Europe, in a way, Ireland in accepting the premise that Brussels and Berlin determine economic policy in every country," he said.
"Ireland fell in with that premise and therefore perpetuated a culture that this current Greek government is trying to break," he added.
But Brendan Howlin says Ireland 'pushed to the limits of what was possible' in order to get the best deal from the Troika.
He says the comments from Mr Mody do not reflect the changes to Ireland's bailout programme.
While speaking yesterday, Finance Minister Michael Noonan brushed off the suggestions that the government blew the chance to get a better deal on Ireland's debt when it came to power in 2011.
