Michael McCarthy (Labour)

—to places of entertainment such as racetracks, as they are entitled, they are not entitled to squander €15 million of taxpayers' money. Nor are they entitled to breach clear Cabinet guidelines and procedures on how they expend money. It typifies the arrogance and contemptuous attitude of the Government.

We are now worse off than we have ever been. We have an arch-conservative Government which is content to operate within a golden circle. Those not in its remit are on the margins. The rule is, if one is not in the golden circle one is not worthy of merit. That will be the lasting legacy of the Government.

I look forward to next year when the people get their first opportunity to cast judgment on these savage 16 cutbacks. The Taoiseach and Minister for Finance and those who are party to administering a secret manifesto involving the shut down of public services and the bankrupting of the country have the arrogance to tell us that what we heard last year was not what we were told. The Minister for Finance said then that no cutbacks were planned, secretly or otherwise. I ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Coughlan, to tell the House where in the manifestos were these savage 16 cutbacks mentioned. Where did they indicate that, within a short period after the general elections, there would be cutbacks in allowances on which people depended, such as the back to education allowance, the lone parents allowance and rent supplements?