Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

I accept that. What he was saying was that the Minister did not have to make choices. That completely ignores the macro-economic context. The Minister has increased expenditure in the Revised Book of Estimates to the order of approximately 13%, and tax concessions of €900 million were provided. If we put more than a certain amount into the economy, we run a significantly higher risk of causing inflation. Also, a substantial move of 20% would cost several hundred million euro or more.

While there are many demands on the economy, a certain amount of prudence is required. There is much criticism, including from the Fine Gael Party, that the economy is being run unduly in accordance with electoral cycles. Senator John Paul Phelan urges us to accentuate that.