Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 65: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he is satisfied with his management of the public finances since his appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13755/08]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, I am satisfied with the management of the public finances. As the Deputy is aware our record on the public finances stands for itself. The fundamentals of the Irish economy are strong. For example, General Government debt is estimated at 25 per cent of GDP at the end of 2007, which is one of the lowest levels of public debt in the euro area. When account is taken of the build-up of assets in the National Pensions Reserve Fund, the debt to GDP ratio net of those assets is estimated to be around 14 per cent at end-2007. The strong position of the public finances means that we are well placed to manage the challenges ahead.