asked the Minister for Finance the national debt figures over the past ten year.

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.

would the Minister give the figures for 1977 to 1979?

In 1977 the figure was £4,229 million; in 1978, £5,236 million; and the estimated figure for 1979 is £6,500 million.