THE Tanaiste sharply criticised the Opposition speeches on the Budget, describing them as among the least inspiring he had ever heard.

Mr Spring said that to be accused by Fianna Fail of putting an election Budget forward, in an election year no less, reminded him a little of the famous remark by Daniel O'Connell: "Now that I have been praised in the House of Commons, it is time to examine my conscience."

One had to ask, he said, what Fianna Fail would have done in the circumstances. Were they really to believe that Fianna Fail, with its history and track record, would have brought in a hairshirt Budget this year?

He had heard the Fianna Fail leader say that his party had never taken risks with the economy.

"It may be true that they never took risks with the Greek economy, or the German economy. But it would take a very short memory indeed to take this particular claim by Fianna Fail seriously."

At least, Mr Spring said, the House knew where the PDs stood. "They have published their five year plan - a plan which would strip £2.8 billion out of the economy and give it back to people who are already well off.

"They would pay for it by getting rid of nearly 4,000 jobs in the public sector, by reducing unemployment benefits in real terms in order to try to drive tens of thousands of people off the live register, and by embarking on a privatisation spree.

Fianna Fail and the PDs were saying that they yearned for the good old days of 1992, when they were last in government together and cut tax rates by more than the Government had done on Wednesday, he said.

"Ah, happy days - the days of the temporary little arrangement, when Fianna Fail and the PDs fought for months on end, and when the Budget tax cuts they did make were all geared to the highest income earners in the land."