Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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421. To ask the Minister for Finance the estimated primary Exchequer surplus for 2022. [41160/21]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The primary Exchequer balance may be defined as the Exchequer balance adjusted for the impact of the national debt cash interest cost.

As per the Stability Programme Update 2021, the national debt cash interest cost in 2022 is projected to be €3,860 million. This forecast remained unchanged in the Summer Economic Statement 2021 (SES).

The SES projected a 2022 Exchequer deficit of €13,010 million. Therefore, the primary Exchequer deficit for 2022 is estimated at €9,150 million.

Updated fiscal and economic forecasts will be provided in October as part of the Budget documentation.