Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 115: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide a statement of the amount of cash reserves held by the National Treasury Management Agency on behalf of and available for use by the State at the end of each month between October 2010 and May 2011. [15103/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Cash reserves held by the National Treasury Management Agency on behalf of, and available for use by, the State at the end of each month between October 2010 and May 2011 were as follows:

â'¬ billion

October 2010 26.0

November 2010 29.1

December 2010 19.0

January 2011 27.2

February 2011 28.6

March 2011 29.8

April 2011 28.9

May 2011 33.2 The figures include cash held in the Exchequer Account in the Central Bank, cash held by the NTMA and the National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission on deposit with commercial banks, cash available in the Dormant Accounts Fund and other Ministerial funds, as well as Housing Finance Agency Guaranteed Notes held by the NTMA.

Liquidity is managed by the NTMA to ensure that the State has adequate reserves at all times to meet obligations as they fall due while minimising the cost to the State. Balances can vary widely depending on the timing of tax receipts, Exchequer payments, borrowings and repayments.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 116: To ask the Minister for Finance the amount held by the National Pension Reserve Fund in cash and in its discretionary portfolio as at 31 May 2011; and the purpose for which it is intended to use these funds. [15104/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) Commission publishes a performance and portfolio update quarterly on the NPRF website www.nprf.ie.

For the Deputy's information, the Commission valued the NPRF at €23.2 billion at 31 March 2011 as set out in the following table.

The NPRF Commission was directed to realise a further €4.5 billion in April 2011, bringing the amount set aside from the Fund for the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support from €5.5 billion to the full €10 billion envisaged.

The Government is currently examining the role which the NPRF may play in assisting economic growth having regard to the provisions of the Programme for Government.