Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 27 Jan 2000

Vol. 513 No. 2

Written Answers. - Economic Forecasts.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

82 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Finance the GNP in each of the years from 1997 to 1999; the estimate made by his Department or bodies under the aegis of his Department of GNP for 2000; the latest forecast made by his Department or by these bodies of GNP for each of the years from 2001 to 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2033/00]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy)

The latest estimates for GNP for Ireland for 1997 and 1998 were published in National Income and Expenditure 1998 by the Central Statistics Office. These estimates, based on ESA95 conventions, are set out below.

Table 1: Gross National Product at market prices 1997-1998 (£ millions)

Year	1997	1998
£ millions	45,500	52,183

The Department of Finance's latest estimate for GNP for 1999 is £58,200 million, which was published in the stability programme December 2000 update as part of the budget 2000 documentation. The Department of Finance's latest forecasts for GNP for 2000 to 2002, which were also published on budget day, are set out below. Forecasts for 2003 will be prepared for publication in conjunction with budget 2001.

Table 2: Forecast Gross National Product at market prices 2000-2002 (£ millions)

Year	2000	2001	2002
£ millions	63,925	69,625	75,200