Half-century-old Prize Bond fund reaches a record €4.7bn

At the end of 2022, unclaimed prizes amounted to €3.38m which are held indefinitely until claimed by a bondholder.

The state's Prize Bond fund has reached a record €4.7bn after gross sales of more than €615m were recorded last year.

First established in 1957, Prize Bonds are part of the wider range of Ireland State Savings products offered by the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) alongside Savings Certs and Saving Bonds, and the fund forms part of the State's national debt. The scheme is operated by the Prize Bond Company, a joint venture between An Post and Fexco, on behalf of the NTMA.