In my capacity as an adviser I helped to formulate the financial targets set out in the Fianna Fáil manifesto in 1997. It was stated expenditure would increase by 4%. Senator Higgins is correct, this was meant to be a 2% increase in real terms, the purpose and spirit of which was to ensure we got into surplus which we achieved beyond any of our wildest dreams. The previous Minister for Finance, Deputy Quinn, was not committed to getting rid of current budget deficits. Many on the Opposition benches and equally on our own were of the view that we should use the new financial freedom to tackle many of the problems facing us more speedily.