STRASBOURG, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Ireland must adopt its budget on time despite domestic political upset in order to conclude negotiations on a European Union and IMF financial programme, the EU monetary affairs chief said on Tuesday.
"Stability is important," Olli Rehn said when asked about the prospect of early elections. "We don't have a position on the domestic democratic politics of Ireland but it is essential that the budget will be adopted in time and we will be able to conclude the negotiations on the EU-IMF programme in time."
"The budget needs to be adopted," he told reporters in Strasbourg. "Ireland will pass the budget in the time foreseen and certainly sooner than later." (Reporting by Gilbert Reilhac; writing by Daniel Flynn; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)