Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Less than two years later, we know that every little does hurt. Labour has implemented everything it claimed it would never do.

Due to the mounting wave of negative commentary about the Government's regressive policies and lack of any real innovation in almost two years, it yesterday unveiled a new tactic. This involved changing the baselines wherever doing so might give a better result. As the Government believes that it can claim success in some areas, it refers to what has happened since March 2011. In most areas, however, it has started using earlier dates to present a better picture.

Yesterday, there was messing with the presentation of figures in a range of areas from fiscal adjustments to the reduction in public service numbers. However, the brass neck award must go to the attempt to claim that budget policy has been progressive. The Minister, Deputy Noonan, referred to how we had one of the most progressive tax systems in the developed world and stated that the role of recent budgets in this was contained in an annexe to his speech.

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