asked the Minister for Finance the internal national debt outstanding on 31st March, 1972, giving details of the amounts and total, the final maturity date and the intervening interest rates.

As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate it with the official report.

Following is the statement:—

Internal National Debt Outstanding on 31st March, 1972.

8.

asked the Minister for Finance the national external Government debt at 31st March, 1972, giving the amounts and total, the title and interest rate and the final maturity date.

As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate it with the official report.

Following is the statement:

External Government Debt Outstanding on 21st March, 1972.

Could the Minister tell me if this debt will come to maturity at an even rate over a period of years or all at once?

It certainly will not come at an even rate. Without going into all the details I could not give the Deputy the pattern, but it will not come at an even rate.

9.

asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the total guaranteed debt by the Government at 31st March, 1972, and specifically the amount arising from external obligations.

Final figures are not yet available but it is estimated that the total debt guaranteed by the Government at 31st March, 1972, was £254 million of which £55 million represented external obligations.

10.

asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the position in respect of (a) the internal debt outstanding; (b) the external Government debt outstanding; (c) the Government guaranteed debt; and (d) local authority indebtedness as at 31st March for each year of the last decade.

As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.

Following is the statement:—