Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

—— budgets. However, I did so with pride that we have reached this position, while remembering times past. How many European Ministers for Finance are able to simultaneously run a budget surplus, increase expenditure by 11.5%, including a record social welfare package of €1.4 billion? Perhaps in Norway or Luxembourg, but I cannot think of anywhere else. Ireland has the immense blessings of full employment, low inflation, debt and direct taxes, growth of more than 5%, and a supportive — and I hope increasingly supportive — social welfare system.

Senator John Paul Phelan mentioned various matters that were not included. However, in the broad definition of the term, the budget includes expenditure in the Book of Estimates, as well as in the Budget Statement. Hence, there is no significance to be read into the strong commitment to education, transport or justice from the fact they do not figure largely in the Budget Statement.

The real opposition to this budget does not come from the Opposition benches or indeed from any party in the Houses. I am somewhat shocked by a certain section of what one might call the commentariat. I will mention three or four examples. Hobbs, who was a consumer champion much beloved by Fine Gael approximately 12 months ago, claimed the Taoiseach is past his——