--- title: Q&A with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny | TIME description: Prime Minister Enda Kenny discusses his plan to turn Ireland's economy around canonical: https://time.com/video/DeyHblCZ/ og:title: Q&A with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny og:description: Prime Minister Enda Kenny discusses his plan to turn Ireland's economy around og:url: https://time.com/video/DeyHblCZ/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/DeyHblCZ/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Q&A with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny twitter:description: Prime Minister Enda Kenny discusses his plan to turn Ireland's economy around twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/DeyHblCZ/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Q&A with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Q&A with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny [Watch (HLS stream): Q&A with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/DeyHblCZ.m3u8) (7:23)  _Published 2012-10-03. Prime Minister Enda Kenny discusses his plan to turn Ireland's economy around_ --- Jul 27, 2023 3:28 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [New Zealand Prime Minister Discusses Reopening Economy](/video/rlmMVQfA/) ### New Zealand Prime Minister Discusses Reopening Economy [Ireland's Governing Party Elects First Openly Gay Leader as Next Possible Prime Minister](/video/ZqlkgLMi/) ### Ireland's Governing Party Elects First Openly Gay Leader as Next Possible Prime Minister [Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister Joan Burton Supports Gay Marriage](/video/uaEpgi4W/) ### Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister Joan Burton Supports Gay Marriage --- ## Transcript I'm Katherine Mayer, Time Europe editor. In 2010 Ireland went to the European Union and the IMF for a bail out. In the 2011 elections, the old government was thrown out, and Enda Kenny, the leader of Fine Gael became Taoiseach or Prime Minister, in coalition with Labor. He's leading Ireland's fight to recover from the bust and sat down with Time to discuss what's involved. Taoiseach, how hard is it to bring Ireland back to where the country needs to be? Well, that's very difficult and it's, is an enormous challenge. But given the nature of the Irish people. And we're anxious to exit from the bail out program as quickly as we can. Obviously, we're interested in taking the decisions that will allow that to happen. And while it's, while it's gratifying to hear the comments internationally about how Ireland is a model of how you can do this, where people work with government. We want to go beyond that, to retrieve our economic independence. In the meantime, to have made the changes to the structures that have to be made here, so that when we do emerge from this bailout program, not only can we be seen to be a model for other countries to follow, but the we can also use that experience and that expertise to help others. Where will the growth come from in this scenario? Particularly as Ireland is a country that has a great deal vested in exporting. The reason that Ireland's been recognized as a, as a, as a country for productivity, and for exports that's the reason that there are so many international investors here in terms of the farmer area, the IT area, the software area, the mechanical area. All of these things are a combination of what it is that we offer. And what Ireland actually has as it's potential, are the best demographics of any country in Europe for the next 25 years, and an extraordinary track record where we have both talent, technology, and a tax system that allows for flexibility and, and for people to invest here. You have seen in other ares and countries faced with these levels of austerity, people going out on the streets, huge protests. There have of course been demonstrations here, but nothing on that kind of scale. You have got another diasporic going on, but why is it do you think that in Ireland you seem so far to be able to keep putting these measures through. We've got a challenging period up ahead, undoubtedly. Back in the 1980s when we had the last recession, interest rates in Ireland were at 20 %, inflation was extraordinary, unemployment was much higher than now. And the infrastructure of the country was very much less well developed than it is now. People understand that this is an economic challenge and it is really difficult for so many people. But at the same time, people understand that you have to do difficult things to sort out our own public finances. And negotiate with their counterparts in the European sense, to deal with the Euro- zone crisis. And this is the fourth year of this recession. And it has been very challenging for so many people. But they say, look, you were elected to deal with this problem. We know it's difficult. Provided you explain to people what you're doing, provided that it's seen to be fair. And in the greater interest of everybody and the country, we're prepared to take on that challenge and sort it out because the prize at the end is greater for everybody. But one difference in this country, is that the people have access to their politicians and to their government on a very regular basis. When you talk about that access, you actually walk to work and. Yes, I do. And you walk home. Yes, I do. I, I. And I know it's right to. Do you not get people being quite hostile sometimes. Well, sometimes you want to, they, they have their arguments to talk to taximen, or postmen or housewives, or shoppers or people, people going to work or coming to work on the streets. And Irish people always like to feel that they have access to those whom they elect. And if they want to say something, to a minister in government or to the head of government, I think that's very important. Their point of view is of interest to me. But you probably won't be thanked. I have no interest in either looking for credit or thanks. This is. [ CROSSTALK ] But what does drive you? What, what, what is it that got you in? [ CROSSTALK ] What drives me is my belief in, what drives me is my belief that politics. And there's clear political decisions, made in the best interest of the country and the people. Will restore Ireland's fortunes. All we need is to deal with this economic challenge, I know we have the talent, I know we have the ingenuity, I know we have the capacity and the facilities, to actually build an extraordinary country for the next 50 years. We've had wonderful tradition in very difficult times in the past. The Irish have dealt with adversity, and challenge after challenge. An immigrant country we've built other nations. Now is the time for us to work together, government, and people to sort out our own difficulties. And provide a really bright future and a prosperous a prosperous horizon for all our people. That's what drives me and the period of government is not to be wasted. It's one for making decisions at cabinet level with the people in the interest of our country, and that's what really drives me on and I, I see that beginning to happen. I see returns of the signs of confidence, in the middle of this recession. People tell me their, their own stories about how they've come through great difficulty. But now they have a new sense of values, and they see new horizons opening up. And, when you talk to young people in colleges and universities and schools. The excitement of living the adventure for them, they don't see the difficulties that others see. So it's, it's the job of those in power, and those at government level to make the decisions as smooth the way for them to have a future. That's what drives me. What you don't want to do is restore Island to the Celtic tiger years. No. The Celtic tiger years were false years. They were built on the veneer of endless wealth without hard work. What I want to do is go back to the time before that. To the last 1990's. When Island was creating 1, 000 jobs a week. When we were recognized in competitive terms as being at the top three in the world, we were exporting, huge quantities of, of, quality brand products, and that's where we need to get back to. Where there's enthusiasm, where there's excitement, where there's real interest in people in small and medium enterprises. Working in their towns and villages, taking on new people. Expanding their horizons, changing direction, innovating new products. That's the kind of assistance that I'd like to see government be able to give to all people and then let them fly. Thank you, Taoiseach. 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