|
The CSO's balance of payments and related statistics are compiled using a multi-survey data collection system supplemented by data sourced internally within the CSO and by using administrative data. Two CSO divisions are involved in the production of the quarterly and annual statistics published. The Balance of Payments and Financial Sector Division is responsible for data collection and processing while the Balance of Payments Analysis and Dissemination is concerned with the analysis, interpretation and dissemination of the results.
There are two quarterly releases: the Balance of International Payments (BOP) and External Debt and three annual releases: the International Investment Position (IIP), Resident Holdings of Foreign Portfolio Securities and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The Balance of Payments statement describes the country's economic transactions with the rest of the world while the IIP statement shows the foreign element of Ireland's financial assets and liabilities, distinguishing different types of investment. The statistics on External Debt and on Irish holdings of foreign securities are essentially specific analyses of the IIP statistics. The FDI statistics provide information on Ireland's inward and outward direct investment in terms of point-in-time balance sheet stocks and the transactions recorded in a specific reference period.
For national users the BOP flows are classified into two aggregate accounts: the Current Account which covers transactions in goods, services, factor income and current transfers; and the Capital and Financial Account which covers capital transfers, transactions in private capital and official capital, transactions of credit institutions and official external reserve transactions.
The IIP stocks referenced at end-December are categorised by type of investment: Direct Investment, Portfolio Investment and Other Investment. Further subdivisions include details according to institutional sector and by type of financial instrument. Geographical analyses of certain data are also provided.
Apart from national publication, the information is also supplied in a somewhat different format to the relevant international organisations such as the European Central Bank (ECB), the Statistical Office of the European Communities (EUROSTAT), the OECD and the IMF.
|
