Ireland plans bond market return Ireland plans to issue longer term debt later this year as part of a plan to re-enter international bond markets and exit its international bail out programme by the end of 2013. The move, signalled on Friday by Dublin, reflects growing hopes that Ireland might soon emerge from the crisis that led to its rescue In an update on its bail out programme with the European Union and International Monetary, Dublin said it had begun the process of re-engaging with investors and was building contacts ahead of a full bond market re-entry. It said it was anxious to resume normal market funding as soon as possible to bring an end to its reliance on EU-IMF funding. "The NTMA (National Treasury Management Agency) remains in regular contact with a broad range of market participants, and conditions permitting, is seeking to gradually extend its presence in the short-term debt market before seeking to raise longer-term debt later this year," the Department of Finance said on Friday. Dublin's strategy to re-enter the bond market will begin in June or July when the agency hopes to begin selling treasury bills, short term loans of three to six months duration. It also wants to begin issuing annuity bonds to domestic pension funds and may also seek to swap existing bonds to ease the country's funding requirements in 2014, when it is scheduled to exit its bailout programme. Ireland faces several challenges, including slowing economic growth, rising debt levels and a tricky referendum on Europe's fiscal treaty on May 31. Dublin on Friday cut its economic growth forecasts for 2012 to 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product, down from its December forecast of 1.3 per cent. It also trimmed its 2013 growth forecast to 2.2 per cent, down from 2.4 per cent, and revised upwards its 2013 debt estimate to 120.3 per cent of GDP.