The loan was part of a larger EU and IMF loan package delivered to Ireland in 2010 after the country was hit hard by a banking collapse in 2008.

It was due to be paid back between 2019 and 2021, but was repaid in full after the Irish economy recovered faster than expected.

(Reporting by Julie Astrid Thomsen; Editing by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Susan Fenton)