THE CHIEF executive of the National Treasury Management Agency is to travel to Asia this week as part of the ongoing promotion of Irish Government bonds.

John Corrigan, with his director of funding and debt management Oliver Whelan, and economist Rossa White, are to visit Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Seoul, where they will meet existing bondholders and potential future purchasers of Irish bonds.

Irish bonds are not currently being issued to the market but Mr Corrigan has said the plan is to return to the markets by the middle of this summer.

The agency hopes to begin by issuing three- and six-month bonds and to gradually extend the terms of the bonds being issued, with the target of being fully back in the market in 2013.

Last month Ireland re-engaged with the market when it extended the period of some bonds from 2014 to 2015.

Earlier this year, representatives of the agency travelled to the US to brief bondholders there about the situation with the Irish economy and public finances.

Further trips are planned for later this year as part of an ongoing roadshow.