Bono has told European leaders that the Irish people and not the Troika saved the nation’s economy.
The U2 frontman surprised members of European People’s Party in Dublin with his passionate speech.
Bono addressed the centre-right leaders at the summit in Dublin organized by Irish government senior coalition partner Fine Gael.
Invited to address the gathering by Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny, Bono made a staunch defense of the ordinary Irish citizens and their reaction to the EU-IMF bailout.
The U2 singer said: “I want to give an enormous shout out, the biggest shout out I have in my heart, to the Irish people for coming through.
“I’d love to say it was the Troika but I think it was despite the Troika. The Irish people bailed the Irish people out.”
Bono told the Irish Times that his involvement in the conference was non-partisan politically and part of his ongoing dialogue with global leaders.
He added: “For all this progress, for all these achievements, nearly 60 years after the Treaty of Rome, Europe is an economic entity that still needs to become a social entity.
“Europe is a thought that needs to become a feeling.”
Bono told the leaders of the One campaign against extreme poverty.
The report adds that he represents the group which argues that it is crucial for European leaders to introduce measures to make it more difficult to move money secretly around the world.
Bono also called for action in European law to introduce public registers of the ownership of ‘phantom firms’ and off-shore companies and trusts.
He said: “Right now, your ministers . . . and your members of the European Parliament are working on another law that could help transform the lives for the poor, and the rest of us, too.
“It’s a law to inject daylight into the financial system to stop corrupt monies vanishing to ‘safe’ havens and combat money laundering.”
 
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/irish-people-not-troika-bailed-out-state-claims-bono-1.1716617
 

Bono has told European leaders that the Irish people and not the Troika saved the nation’s economy.

The U2 frontman surprised members of European People’s Party in Dublin with his passionate speech.

Bono addressed the centre-right leaders at the summit in Dublin organized by Irish government senior coalition partner Fine Gael.

Invited to address the gathering by Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny, Bono made a staunch defense of the ordinary Irish citizens and their reaction to the EU-IMF bailout.

The U2 singer said: “I want to give an enormous shout out, the biggest shout out I have in my heart, to the Irish people for coming through.

“I’d love to say it was the Troika but I think it was despite the Troika. The Irish people bailed the Irish people out.”

Bono told the Irish Times that his involvement in the conference was non-partisan politically and part of his ongoing dialogue with global leaders.

He added: “For all this progress, for all these achievements, nearly 60 years after the Treaty of Rome, Europe is an economic entity that still needs to become a social entity.

“Europe is a thought that needs to become a feeling.”

Bono told the leaders of the One campaign against extreme poverty.

The report adds that he represents the group which argues that it is crucial for European leaders to introduce measures to make it more difficult to move money secretly around the world.

Bono also called for action in European law to introduce public registers of the ownership of ‘phantom firms’ and off-shore companies and trusts.

He said: “Right now, your ministers . . . and your members of the European Parliament are working on another law that could help transform the lives for the poor, and the rest of us, too.

“It’s a law to inject daylight into the financial system to stop corrupt monies vanishing to ‘safe’ havens and combat money laundering.”