In case anyone believes that Fine Gael's demand on 16 September for the suspension of the payment of benchmarking awards was an attempt to make controversial banner headlines during the autumn before either House resumed, I remind Members that on 1 July 2002 when the benchmarking report was released, we warned that the key to benchmarking was securing a value for money deal. We pointed out at the time that the cost of the deal was the equivalent of putting 2% onto the tax rate. We emphasised that the Government owed it to taxpayers and the public generally to ensure that the €1.2 billion was accompanied by real, tangible and visible improvements in productivity and services.