I shot Buiter from Citi an email about this idea that the pigs might not default due fiscal transfers from the EU fund, he didn't reply but came out against the idea in his latest piece
"Accessing external sources of funds will not mark the end of Irelandâs troubles. The reason is that, in our view, the consolidated Irish sovereign and Irish domestic financial system is de facto insolvent. The Irish sovereign cannot from its own resources âbail outâ the banks and make its own creditors whole. In addition, a fully-fledged bailout (permanent fiscal transfer) from EA partners or the ECB is most unlikely. Therefore, either the unsecured non-guaranteed creditors of the banks, and/or the creditors of the sovereign may eventually have to accept a restructuring with an NPV haircut, even if it is not a condition for accessing the EFSF or the EFSM at present."
From the ECB I agree, its not going to happen but the EU fund I believe is likely to at least give it a shot at it. Essentially because it would be a way to bailout their own banks by calling it 'debt relief to a sovereign'
I can't possibly see they allowing the default then having to raise money anyway to bailout their banks, might as well lose that money to the sovereign and not lose votes by bank bailouts