asked the Minister for Finance the rate of growth forecast by his Department for 1982 and 1983; and the actual growth achieved in the economy.

In 1982 my Department forecast that growth in real GDP would be of the order of 2 per cent. The comparable latest estimate for the actual outturn in 1982 prepared by the Central Statistics Office shows a volume increase of 1.9 per cent.

For 1983, my Department forecast that real GDP would grow only marginally. The preliminary national accounts estimates prepared by the Central Statistics Office indicate a volume increase in GDP of 0.6 per cent.