Talk about being out of kilter. What a misreading of the budget we have had. Was sending in Senator Daly a comedy act the Opposition decided to put on for us this morning? It is akin to sending in the clowns. What about all the extra gardaí and teachers? What about the reduction in the top rate of income tax to 40% and the increase of the standard rate cut-off band to €34,000?

Has the Senator forgotten about the promises about prescription charges, college fees, and respite care?

What about the relief that will give to families across the nation?

Nobody would laugh at prescription charges or €3,000 in college fees.

Senator Daly should pay attention to where he comes from. Yesterday, he claimed that what the Minister, Deputy Noonan did about the VAT rate for the tourism sector-----

Ask them if they are laughing when they pay them.

Senator Daly is only delaying proceedings.

Senator Daly is the one who caused the laughs this morning, with respect.

Nobody is laughing over prescription charges.

Senator Coghlan keeps provoking Senator Daly and might be best to stick to-----

I take the Leas-Chathaoirleach’s point.

You seem to have a great affinity for each other. You both come from Kerry but you love provoking each other.

I like him. He is not the worst of them.

I am trying to redirect him to where he came from and the universal welcome there was for the holding of the 9% VAT rate for the hospitality sector, which saved so many jobs. There was an increase in jobs. This budget is all about increasing jobs. Some 80,000 people will be taken out of the USC net.

We have gone away from last week with jobs for the boys.

I stopped Senator Coghlan interrupting Senator Daly, so he should not continually interrupt.

Some people here should pay more attention to the broad spectrum and not confine their reading to the Irish Daily Mail.