"WE'RE so boring we're top of the (OECD) league," the Minister for Finance, Mr Quinn, asserted yesterday in defence of the Government's handling of the economy and its job creation efforts.
"We managed the economy carefully, responsibly, prudently - some would say without imagination", he told the Seanad. "But, as a result, we just managed to be the top, not just of the EC, but of all the OECD countries. No other government created the same rates of employment that we have.
He was speaking during a debate on the Finance Bill, and responding to an attack by a Government senator on the approach to the economy and job creation.
Mr Shane Ross (FG) derided the document launched this week by the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Mr Bruton.
The glossy 24 page colour brochure, Promoting Employment - Strategic Management Initiative, was a "bit of old hat" and "absolutely absurd", Mr Ross said. It was a "complete and utter waste of time and taxpayers' money". So much State money, he said, was being spent on documents like this which were "wasteful propaganda".
He claimed the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, had launched a strategic management initiative only last week and "this is his little brother's response".
Mr Ross also attacked the Business Enterprise Scheme, which he estimated had cost the State £20 million and created just 9,000 jobs.
He doubted whether the scheme was worthwhile and "it shows the kind of desperation to which the Government has sunk in its attempts to create employment".
Ms Cathy Honan (PD) referred to her party's programme for the radical transformation of "our anti work tax system" to cut the basic rate of tax and abolish employees' PRSI and levy payments.
Earlier in the debate on the Bill, which gives effect to tax measures announced in the Budget, Mr Frank Fahey (FF) said that public service workers such as nurses and teachers had to resort to threats of strikes because of "the failure of this Minister to introduce fair tax reductions".
He called on the Minister to introduce an amendment to the "ridiculous provision" of the tax relief for pensioners to install alarms by giving a once off grant of £100 to pensioners living alone.
Mr Paddy Burke, Fine Gael's Seanad spokesman on Finance, asked the Minister to consider giving special tax status to an area around Knock airport this year, its 10th anniversary. He said it would be a major boost to the whole western region and to the airport.
Knock is making a profit now and is the "gateway to the west", he said.
