Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Finance if he will estimate the national debt at the start and end of 2013 and the ratio of the debt to GDP and GNP at the same time periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1454/13]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The national debt at the start of 2013 is €137.6 billion, as reported by the NTMA and available from their website. This represents 105.2% of forecast 2012 GNP and 84.3% of forecast 2012 GDP. Table 9 in the Budget 2013 booklet projects an Exchequer deficit of €15.4 billion for 2013.

This results in a forecast national debt for end 2013 of €153 billion, which represents 114.3% of forecast 2013 GNP and 91.2% of forecast 2013 GDP.

Information on general government debt projections are set out in table 10 on the Budget 2013 booklet. The General Government Debt (GGD) is a measure of the total debt of the State and is the measure used for comparative purposes across the European Union.