Time and again we have heard from the Government benches that the country is in crisis and that we have to tighten our belts and pull back. We are not, thankfully, in an economic crisis. What we are suffering from is mismanagement by this Government, over the past three years in particular, of this country's finances. It is a pity the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Coughlan, has to be the one to take the worst blow. The Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, had a choice to make but he did not make it. Does it stand up that we have to reduce social welfare increases to less than inflation rates while at the same time protecting the savings incentive scheme for others who, in some cases, have increased their contributions? The Minister for Finance ignored that and other glaring options because of his association with particular groups. We have heard from them all over the last fortnight.