The nominal value of public debt is an unreliable measure. Ireland's national debt was €30bn in 1987 and €36bn in 2002. But in the same period it went from arou

The nominal value of public debt is an unreliable measure. Ireland's national debt was €30bn in 1987 and €36bn in 2002. But in the same period it went from around 128% of GDP to 32% of GDP.