The man in charge of the EU bailout fund has said it will be "difficult" for Ireland to get a deal on its legacy bank debts.

Jeroen Dijsselbloem says the ESM fund might not be big enough to refund the costs Ireland ran up saving its banks.

Ireland is looking to claw back some of the €31 billion it spent saving the main banks - but there is only €80 billion in the bailout fund.

Mr. Dijsselbloem - who is also the Dutch Finance Minister - also says it will be difficult to convince every other member state that they should share the burden of Irish debts.