Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 8 March 2017

Committee on Budgetary Oversight

Developments in the National Debt: National Treasury Management Agency

2:00 pm

Mr. Frank O'Connor:

As in the answer to the European loans question, because it is rated higher, when it does lend to us it can be cheaper. It is not as dramatic as it was in the crisis when we were rated less than A. The gap is narrowing but it is still cheaper. To give the Acting Chairman an example, last year the EIB loaned approximately €430 million directly to the Exchequer close to a 15 year life and, from memory, it was at some 1.78% so it is useful in that regard.