IMF to conduct review of Ireland economy in April

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An International Monetary Fund mission will conduct its regular economic assessment of Ireland's economy in April, an IMF spokesman said on Thursday.

"The next annual Article IV mission to review Ireland's economy is currently planned to take place in April," IMF spokesman David Hawley told a briefing for reporters.

The fund conducts Article IV reviews in each of its 185 member countries and is a way of trying to determine trouble spots and policy actions.

A domestic property crash and global economic crisis have pushed Ireland into recession, forcing the government to bail out the three largest banks and borrow heavily to fund spending.

On Thursday, the Irish government said it would nationalize Anglo Irish Bank ANGL.I, a niche commercial lender, but said the bank remained solvent and would continue to trade.

Last week, credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's warned it may cut Ireland's AAA sovereign debt rating due to worsening public finances. Economists expect Ireland's recession to deepen this year.

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; editing by Gary Crosse)