Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for Finance his estimate and forecast on the level of the national debt for each year from 2008 to 2013; the cost of servicing this debt from the Central Fund for each year from 2008 to 2013; the composition of such debt servicing costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32037/09]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide an estimate of the total cost of servicing the national debt, including National Asset Management Agency bonds, for the years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32386/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 129 together.

At end 2008, the national debt stood at €50.4 billion and at end-August 2009 it stood at €69.3 billion. The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) have advised that the main factor influencing the projected increase in the national debt out to 2013 is the planned Exchequer deficit for each of these years. In addition, there may also, in any given year, be some non-cash adjustments related to factors such as premiums and discounts on the issue of new bonds - in 2008, these amounted to €124 million.