The budget was poverty-proofed. Distributive effects were probably stronger towards the lower end of the scale than in any recent budget. I have a great deal of respect for the values of Fr. Seán Healy and those who work with him. However, I sometimes feel they do not adequately acknowledge the progress and achievements that have been made. On one occasion when Fr. Healy was castigating a budget introduced by the then Minister for Finance, Deputy Quinn, I asked him to specify any budget of which he had approved within the previous ten years. He replied that he would require notice of that question.