Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

I reinforce the request made yesterday through the Leader to the Minister for Finance to make a statement on the state of the public finances and the economy. Examining the Exchequer returns I discovered that tax revenue rose by 10% in the first month of this year. This is very healthy, even compared with good years, and something one would never have discovered from the purveyors of gloom who, like Old Testament prophets, are the sort of people on whose faces, as the Leader says, one never sees a smile.

I support Senator Dardis's request for a debate on agriculture. It is very important that the farm organisations are part of the social partnership agreement because there are many challenges and difficulties ahead.