Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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59. To ask the Minister for Finance the State's overall budgetary deficit in monetary and percentage terms when this Government took office; the current figures for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15794/14]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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60. To ask the Minister for Finance the rate of deficit as a percentage of GDP when this Government took office; the current rate of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15795/14]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 60 together.

The general government deficit in monetary and percentage terms for 2010 and the latest projections for 2013 (as at Budget 2014) are detailed in the table below. The outturn for 2013 will be finalised and published on Eurostat's website on 22^nd April 2014 -.

The underlying general government deficit excludes the effect of capital injections into financial institutions, in particular the promissory note transactions in 2010. The underlying balance is the measure set under the EDP targets.

In regard to the rate of the deficit as a percentage of GDP, the deficit is not expressed in real terms and therefore, there is no applicable rate of deficit. For comparative purposes across the EU, the general government deficit is expressed as a percentage of the GDP in the given year.