Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar said he today hoped that Christine Lagarde, who had played a role in advancing French interests, would “look at the bigger picture” if she became head of the IMF.
The French finance minister confirmed today she will stand as candidate to be the new managing director of the IMF to replace Dominque Strauss-Kahn, who resigned following his arrest in New York on sex charges.
Speaking at an event in Dublin, Mr Varadkar was asked whether there was confusion over the Government’s position on backing Ms Lagarde for the post.
Mr Varadkar said the issue had not yet been discussed at Cabinet, so it would be up to Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore and Taoiseach Enda Kenny to speak for the Government on the matter.
“As I understand it…and it is something that probably hasn’t had that much commentary yet, is that because we are a recipient now of funds [from] the IMF, we have no voting rights at the IMF. So the position we take isn’t as relevant as it may have been in the past,” he said.
“I think from a strategic point of view, if she is going to be the European candidate, and if she is already the anointed one, it make make more sense to support her than to oppose her and only find out that she gets the office anyway.”
Asked if he was concerned that there had been a perception that she had been “unfair” to Ireland in pushing issue of a reduction in our corporation tax, Mr Varadkar said he believed she had played a particular role as the foreign minister of France in advancing French policy and French interests.
“I would expect that if she becomes the head of the the IMF, that her role would be different and she’d be looking at the bigger picture but I don’t know her well enough to make a call on that.”