Read the story at the link and see they went out for $10 billion in bonds to pay the Euro bailout debt
Ireland earlier this month took a major step towards exiting the bailout with a successful sale of 5 billion euros of new benchmark 10-year bonds.Bonds are an investment for the buyer. That is valid economic practice commonly used. The fact they were "successfully" sold is more proof that austerity works, otherwise they would not have been sold.