Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

The basic statistics for the Irish economy are incredibly strong. Ireland has the lowest unemployment level in Europe at 4.4% and the second lowest debt level at 29.4%. The briefing notes of the national reform programme indicate where Ireland stands in terms of income per capita. We are not the second wealthiest country in Europe. Our GNP per capita is 106% of the EU average. That is a good position to be in but it is not 120% or 130% as is sometimes maintained when people confuse wealth and income.

There are certain newspaper groups that do not like social partnership and who miss no opportunity to knock it and say it is no longer needed. This is nonsense.