During last year's general election, the daily press contained launches by various Ministers of their programmes. Candidates threw themselves at Ministers as they announced measures to copperfasten economic growth in many areas. However, the shelf life of the manifestos of the Government parties was as short as the length of time it took for the Dáil to sit after the general election. Their promises and commitments have been broken one by one. The general election of May 2002 was bought and the people were fooled and conned.