An eight-page newspaper on Budget 2001 was "the mother of all propaganda documents", it was claimed in the Dail.

Mr Paul McGrath (FG, Westmeath) said the newspaper was "a blatant abuse of privilege" by the Government, and an attempt to portray it as an impartial and factual document from the Department of Finance, when in fact it was a false, misleading and flawed propaganda publication.

The Minister of State for Finance, Mr Martin Cullen, said it cost £6,412.50 to produce and £863 in postage to 751 secondary school principals. He said the Minister for Finance was, however, very proud of the publication.