Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 February 2013
90. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance based on recent information made public by the ECB, the amount of interest that will be paid by Ireland to the ECB in 2013 on its holdings of Irish Government bonds purchased through its securities markets programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10894/13]
View answerA recent ECB statement published details in relation to their securities holdings acquired under the Securities Markets Programme. This reports nominal SMP Irish bond holdings of €14.2bn at 31 December 2012, valued by the ECB on an amortised cost basis at €13.6bn. However, a detailed breakdown of the particular bonds these relate to, the coupon payments due and the maturity dates of each bond have not been published. It is therefore not possible to outline the interest to be paid to the ECB in relation to these holdings.
It should be noted that coupon payments in relation to Irish sovereign debt are an obligation of the State regardless of the identity of the holder of the debt.
