Ireland is to make its first visit to the bond market this year later today.

The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) is issuing additional amounts of an existing 5 year bond due for repayment in 2017.

The agency is expected to try to sell €1.5- €2 billion of debt as part of its efforts to exit from the bailout programme.

It says this will be done "through a syndicated tap of its 2017 Treasury Bond in the near future, subject to market conditions".

'High demand for Irish bonds'

The Agency has mandated Barclays, Danske, Davy, RBS and Société Générale as joint lead managers for the transaction.

It says details of it will be announced in due course.

Newstalk's Business Ian Guider told Breakfast demand for Irish government bonds is high.