Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2011
128 Deputy Charlie O’Connor asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered opening the selling market for the national solidarity bond and the proposed sovereign annuity bond to regulated intermediaries in addition to being available through An Post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2822/11]
View answerThe National Solidarity Bond is one product in the range of State Savings products offered by the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) to personal savers through the post office network. The main State Savings products are
Prize Bonds
3-year Savings Bonds
5½-year Savings Certificates
10-year National Solidarity Bond
State Savings Accounts (demand and 30 day notice)
A new 4-year National Solidarity Bond which was announced in the National Recovery Plan 2011-2014 (published on 24 November 2010) is expected to be launched in the coming weeks.
All the State Savings products, including the National Solidarity Bond, are readily available to the public through the network of over 1,000 post offices and also by post. Information on the savings products is also provided through a telephone call centre service and on the web. In addition, Prize Bonds may be purchased online and by telephone. The new bonds to be issued by the NTMA to facilitate the sovereign annuity market as part of the changes in the framework of the pensions industry will be distributed through the NTMA's primary dealer network and members of the Irish Stock Exchange. I do not envisage any changes to the current selling arrangements.
