Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 135: To ask the Taoiseach the figures on GDP and GNP for the Border Midland Western region and the south and east region for the years 2000 to the most recent available. [30317/07]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 136: To ask the Taoiseach the reason for the difference between GDP and GNP in the Border Midland Western region and the south and east region for the past number of years for which figures are available. [30318/07]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 137: To ask the Taoiseach the amount of money that is being repatriated by foreign companies and the impact this has on the gap between GDP and GNP in the Border Midland Western region and the south and east region for the years 2000 to the most recent available. [30319/07]

Tom Kitt (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 to 137, inclusive, together.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the value added generated in the total economy from the production of goods and services, valued at market prices. Gross National Product (GNP) differs from GDP by the value of "net factor incomes" to or from abroad and is measured only at national level. Factor incomes are incomes from investment (including profits), compensation of employees and current transfers. Factor incomes to and from the country as a whole are reported in the official Balance of Payments. However in common with other countries they are not measured between regions within Ireland nor between regions and the rest of the world and for this reason GNP is not available for the regions in Ireland nor is GNP generally calculated on a regional basis in other countries. In Ireland the outflows of factor incomes exceed inflows and the net position (i.e. outflows minus inflows for the years 2000 to 2006) as published in the latest National Income statistics is as follows:

The value of GDP and GNP for the years 2000 to 2006 is given in the following table:

Outflows of Direct Foreign Investment Income

The category "direct investment income" published in the Balance of Payments covers income accruing to an Irish or foreign direct investor from their ownership (or part ownership) of a direct investment enterprise located abroad (in the case of an Irish investor) or in Ireland (in the case of a foreign investor). Income, in this category, accruing to foreign direct investors from their enterprises in Ireland amounted to €31,448 ml. in 2006 and €32,817 ml. in 2005. Note that these figures exceed the net factor incomes shown in the table above, as there are also significant inflows of other factor incomes into Ireland. "Direct Investment Income" in the balance of payments includes the declared entrepreneurial income of the foreign investors (or the share of it accruing to foreigners) whether remitted abroad or not. This is standard international practice. Data on foreign outflows are not available for the regions within Ireland. Full details of the above data are published in "National income and Expenditure 2006" and in the latest Balance of Payments release which are on the CSO's website.

GDP for NUTS II regions

Strictly speaking it is not appropriate to speak of GDP at the level of regions within a country. A related concept GVA (gross value added) is used instead. GVA (at basic prices) equals GDP minus product taxes plus product subsidies. Because distributing product taxes (e.g. vat, excise duties etc.) between regions can distort the comparisons of the amount of value added that is generated in each region GVA is the standard measure between regions. GVA for NUTS II regions for the years 2000 to 2004 are shown as follows.

The equivalent GVA per capita for these regions for the years 2000 to 2004 is shown as follows.

Since GVA is essentially the sum of compensation of employees and profits generated in a region the differences between the absolute levels in the regions arise from population differences and different levels of profits and wages in the regions. The per capita differences reflect different levels of wages and profits per person in the regions.

Full details of these data are available in the release "County Incomes and Regional GDP 2004" on the CSO's website.

It may also be worth noting that the CSO publishes regional figures on household incomes. These figures do not include company profits. The per capita household incomes in the NUTS II regions for the years 2000 to 2004 are provided as follows.