John Dardis (Progressive Democrats)

It is important to remember how far we have come — we are now talking about spending billions of euro. If the Estimates include a growth rate of 5%, we are looking at inflation in the order of 3%, and one brings in a budget figure of 11.5% in current spending that will contribute very much to inflation. The budget is pretty neutral. It is fair to claim, as the Minister of State has done, that it is prudent. I have always believed that one can spend money on the capital side where there is a provision of 13%. If that figure is hiked too high, it will contribute to inflation. However, I cannot understand the argument that the budget is somehow inflationary because I think it is quite the reverse. It is neutral in terms of what it will do to domestic inflation.