Senator Quinn has touched on what is probably the main issue affecting the economy, the question of competitiveness. We are led to believe the new national social partnership deal will include a package to deal with inflation which is damaging our competitiveness and progress. In recent months we have seen how Government decisions and increases have led to an increase in inflation. I do not share Senator Mansergh's view that because inflation reduced marginally in January it will keep reducing. By all accounts January is a month when economic activity can be somewhat flat. The problems we have with inflation look set to continue over the course of the next couple of months.