The International Monetary Fund is urging Ireland to gradually lower unemployment benefits and lower its minimum wage. The IMF made the suggestions on Monday just days after Ireland sought a massive bailout from the European Union and IMF to help rescue its banking sector. Meanwhile, Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen has agreed to call for an early general election next year, but he resisted calls to immediately dissolve the government. Joan Burton is the deputy leader of the opposition Labour Party.

Joan Burton: “All lot of ordinary Irish people feel that people were never consulted or asked to give a mandate in relation to the extraordinary events that are now happening. And that’s why people feel that an election would help to clear the air and produce a government with a fresh mandate who would be responsible to the people.”