Accountants and economists never see eye to eye

The scepticism one profession can have about another was revealed last week by the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, an accountant by training. He was asked to comment on economist Dr Francis O'Toole's withering report for Combat Poverty on how successive governments' taxation policies were regressive for middle and low-income earners. "Show me a one-handed economist," the Minister quipped. At least accountants can balance the books.