Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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206. To ask the Minister for Finance to provide a breakdown of the net lending of non-commercial Semi-State bodies outlined in annex 3 of the SPU, listing the NCSSBs involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28729/24]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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207. To ask the Minister for Finance to provide details on the net lending of local Government outlined in annex 3 of the SPU, listing the key drivers of net lending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28730/24]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 206 and 207 together.

The general government comprises the sub-sectors of central government, local government, and social security funds. Non-commercial semi-state bodies (NCSSBs) are classified within the central government subsector (S1311).

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is responsible for the compilation of the general government deficit and debt outturn statistics, whereas my Department is responsible for producing forecasts published in the Budget and Stability Programme Update. These statistics are compiled in accordance with the European System of Accounts 2010 (ESA2010).

The NCSSBs included in these statistics are listed in the CSO’s annual Register of Public Sector Bodies (www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-rpbi/registerofpublicsectorbodies2023-provisional/). The local government sub-sector comprises local authorities, regional assemblies and Tier 3 Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) and are also included in the Register of Public Sector Bodies.

The CSO collects data directly from these government bodies and publishes at the aggregate level. It cannot disseminate identifiable information in accordance with the Statistics Act, 1993.

My Department is provided with data by general government bodies, as required under the European Union (Requirements for Budgetary Frameworks of Member States) Regulations S.I. 508/2013 for the specific purpose of preparing the Budget and Stability Programme Update. Its mandate is to compile forecasts for the general government sector and publish these at the sub-sector level. The method in which the data is collected and compiled mirrors practices in the CSO. Therefore, my Department cannot provide data at the individual level of a general government agency involved in the net lending of NCSSBs or local government.

Table 1.3 of the CSO annual publication of Government Finance Statistics www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-gfsa/governmentfinancestatistics2022october2023/keyfindings/ shows a reconciliation from the Exchequer balance to general government balance.