The Government has given itself a positive report on its last year in office, acknowledging that it still has commitments to meet but saying its policies are responsible for continued economic success.
Publishing their own annual report yesterday, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste characterised the past year as "one of achievement abroad and consolidation at home".
They have published such a report each year since 1998 outlining progress made on various commitments in the Programme for Government.
They highlight the successful Irish presidency of the EU, the strength of the economy, the opening of Luas and progress on infrastructural projects. However, they also acknowledge that some public services must continue to be improved and say they will deliver on their commitments.
The successful EU presidency was the result of long and careful preparation which "successfully met the challenge of international events and achieved agreement on a new draft constitution for an enlarged European Union of 25 states".
On the North, they say the Government "is actively working with the British government and the parties in Northern Ireland to secure the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement".
Meanwhile, the State, with its open economy, had "successfully come through a real global economic slowdown maintaining high levels of employment and high levels of public investment. Our people and our labour market have been flexible and adaptable.
"We have increased the minimum wage and it has not cost jobs."
It was lower taxes which had created the State's strong economy which kept more people at work and brought in more revenue to invest in public services and social inclusion.
"We have reduced corporation tax, without an erosion of the tax base. Business confidence is up. New jobs are being created. Investment is increasing. And tax revenues are healthy." They say they have made real progress on specific issues, such as the opening of LUAS, the growth in broadband Internet access, the building of roads, dealing with insurance costs, increasing pensions, capital investment in schools, regeneration of areas such as Ballymun and the use of the National Treatment Purchase Fund.
The document glides over the more glaring unfulfilled commitments such as the abolition of hospital waiting lists, reduction in A&E waiting times, the extension in medical card eligibility and the implementation of the health strategy through multi-annual funding.
Fine Gael last night accused the Government of being "delusional". Mr Phil Hogan, party spokesman on Enterprise, Trade and Employment said: "Of the projects they claim credit for, one must remember that Luas was delivered three years late and three times the original budget and the roads programme has been exposed recently as undercosted to the tune of €9 billion.
Labour's deputy leader, Ms Liz McManus, said the fact its publication was three months overdue and was published on a bank holiday weekend told its own story. "The government knows that it has not much to be proud about. Never before in the history of this state has there been a government that has left such a legacy of broken promises and the public knows that it has been betrayed."