Awwal 10, 1432 H/Feb 13, 2011, SPA -- The leader of Ireland's main opposition party, Fine Gael, will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday to explain how the likely next government intends to get its economy back in shape. Enda Kenny and his Fine Gael party, ahead in the polls ahead of a Feb. 25 election, said he would take the opportunity to brief Merkel on the Irish economic situation ahead of two European Council meetings designed to tackle the debt crisis. "I am going to take up an invitation from Chancellor Merkel to go and talk to her tomorrow ... and to give her a face-to-face briefing on the situation here in Ireland," Reuters quoted Kenny as telling state radio RTE. "We are going to need assistance and movement in terms of the banking costs in terms of a European perspective and that's why I wanted to accept that invitation." A spokesman said Kenny would meet Merkel for about 45 minutes at 1100 GMT at the headquarters of her CDU party. He will also warn the German Chancellor that Ireland will not consider changes to its low corporate tax rate. The centre-right Fine Gael has been widely expected to become the largest party in a new coalition government, with the centre-left Labour as its junior partner. But a particularly strong showing in the polls in recent days has raised the prospect of Fine Gael governing instead with the support of independents.
