Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister and his officials to the House. I have a point to make in respect of the debate between Senators Mansergh and McCarthy about the budgets. In 1997, we had a budget surplus. If we did not, we would have been accused of being economically irresponsible. I was either a teenager or in my early 20s when Proinsias de Rossa was appointed Minister for Social Welfare, but those in Fianna Fáil created the impression that he was going to bankrupt the country and give huge increases. He is now being criticised for not doing enough when he was being responsible. He increased allowances in accordance with the times and we should avoid comparing unlike with unlike in debates.