EU ‘bullied’ Ireland into bailout, former Barroso aide says

In an interview with Irish network RTE on the 7 May 2014, Phillipe Legrain, a former economic adviser to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, accused the Commission and the Frankfurt-based European Central Bank (ECB) of having sided with France and Germany in insisting that Irish taxpayers were left solely responsible for the €64 billion debt burden held by its banks, a move he described as "unjust and unbearable".

ESO: Background information: Irish economy in surprise decline, threatens debt-cutting plan http://www.europeansources.info/record/irish-economy-in-surprise-decline-threatens-debt-cutting-plan/

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