Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 119: To ask the Minister for Finance the projected Exchequer cash balances at the end of March 2011, the end of December 2011, the end of December 2012, the end of December 2013, the end of December 2014 and the end of December 2015. [15142/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Exchequer had cash balances of €18.6 billion at end-March 2011, including those in the Exchequer Account and on deposit with commercial banks.

The forecasts of General Government debt in the Stability Programme Update (SPU) are based on cash balances being reduced by €0.6 billion to stand at €12 billion at end-2011 as compared with the end-2010 level of €12.6 billion.

The SPU forecasts assume that cash balances remain broadly at the end-2011 level of €12 billion over the course of 2012 and 2013.

In the later years of the forecast period, the estimates of General Government debt are based on cash balances being reduced by some €2.75 billion in each of the years 2014 and 2015 to stand at €9.25 billion and €6.5 billion approximately at end-2014 and end-2015 respectively.

Cash balances can vary widely depending on the timing of tax receipts, Exchequer payments, borrowings and repayments.