Ireland Will Be Just Fine: Bill Clinton

There is nothing wrong with Ireland that cannot be fixed, according to former US President Bill Clinton.

"I have utterly no doubt that the country will come back," said Mr Clinton after meeting with Taoiseach Brian Cowen at Government Buildings in Dublin, "and that you will come back a more diversified economy, less vulnerable to what has happened.

Mr Clinton's visit to Ireland coincided with the confirmation that the cost of bailing out Ireland's banks could read €50 billion.

"I think you saved your financial system. And you have to deal with the budget crisis," he said, "But I believe that if good choices are made, what made you the fastest growing country in Europe are still there - all the talents all the abilities all the incentives are still there.

"It's a horrible time now, but you will get out of it."

And he advised politicians to be honest with the public.

"If you are going to ask people not only here but also in the United States to swallow difficult pills, that medicine has to be coupled with a strategy to get well."

Mr Clinton also paid tribute to the Irish government, non-profit organizations and citizens for their contributions to his HIV/AIDS Initiative and said the country had much to be proud of.

He said many people in his foundation were in awe of Ireland's ability to continue to care, and said in places like Mozambique, Ireland had helped to save 167,000 lives.

"Against all the disappointment and preoccupation that people have with the current financial crisis, it may be hard to credit that. People ought to feel good in this country, you ought to know that you did that," he said.

Mr Clinton met the Taoiseach on the second day of his visit to Dublin.

On his first, he was awarded UCD's highest honour, the Ulysses medal, as he addressed the Clinton Institute for American Studies on the campus.

He also delivered a speech to business leaders telling them that Ireland needed to "get its mojo back".

During his stay, he also stunned shoppers by walking down Grafton Street, and he was seen dining with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams at the plush Shelbourne Hotel.

Earlier in the week, Mr Clinton visited Belfast and Derry where he met leading politicians from across the political divide.

He described working on the Northern Irish peace process as "one of the two or three great honours in my life" and said he hoped the Middle East can learn from its success.

It was his sixth visit to the province, and it comes in advance of the US/Northern Ireland economic conference which takes place in Washington on October 19th, and which is being hosted by his wife, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton.

Bill Clinton said Northern Ireland should focus on five areas were jobs could be created: sustainable energy, tourism, aquaculture, foreign investment and arts and crafts.