David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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77. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide Ireland’s national debt as a percentage of Government total revenue in each of the years 1997 to 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49976/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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When discussing debt it is important to note the distinction between national debt and general government debt. National debt is a presentation of the indebtedness of the Exchequer, net of cash and other financial assets, and excludes certain liabilities that are recognised in general government debt.

While the national debt is the principal component of general government debt, the latter measure also includes extra-budgetary funds, non-commercial state-sponsored bodies and the debt of local authorities.

My Department recently updated its Annual Report on Public Debt in Irelandwhich provides a comprehensive analysis of debt dynamics in Ireland. The report is available on my Department's website www.finance.gov.ie.

Net national debt as a percentage of general government revenue for the period 1997 to 2017 is presented in the table below.

Net National Debt