John Dardis (Progressive Democrats)

Much detail has been discussed and we have gone through many of the individual figures which have been dealt with both by Senator Mansergh and the Minister of State. I would like to take the wider view, which is a simple one into which the budget fits entirely. If investment and work are rewarded, resources are produced which provide the capacity to look after those who are most in need in society. That is what the budget does. It has done so very well for several years past.

Criticisms have been raised in the past, and Senator John Paul Phelan has voiced them, about going back and talking about the way things were. The cliché is that if one ignores the mistakes of history one is condemned to repeat them. Senator Mansergh mentioned what Mr. MacSharry said when he was Minister for Finance. We were in a situation then when all our PAYE revenue was going to service debt.