Following a £2 billion (€2.5 billion) tax-cutting and spending Budget, it would have been difficult to envisage Minister for Finance Mr McCreevy slipping up on radio yesterday.

He didn't. In fact, it was all too easy. Any question that he was unable to deal with straight away, during a 60-minute appearance on the Pat Kenny Show, was neatly side-stepped.

When asked by Linda if she was going to miss out on the extended maternity package because her baby was due on March 14th, 17 days before the package starts in April, Mr McCreevy suggested this was a matter for his colleague, the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs.

"I actually provide the money for these particular schemes, and the details of social welfare payments changes will be announced by my colleague, Dermot Ahern, in the forthcoming days," he said. "Any transition arrangement will be addressed by Dermot Ahern at that stage."

Why did the Minister not remove the 21 per cent VAT on caring agencies?

"Unfortunately, I'm constrained in this area by EU law. Under EU law, providers of such carers cannot be zero rated and no further zero rating can be allowed under EU law since January 1st, 1991. All I can do is reduce the general rate," said the Minister, taking care to point out he did exactly that.

Edward called the show, worried he may not have a pension in 25 years if the State was absorbed into a European superstate and the Minister's powers curbed. Cue Mr McCreevy to allay his fears and point out that he was the first Minister in the history of the State and the only finance minister in the EU to set aside money into a national pensions reserve fund.

Could Mr McCreevy consider backdating the abolition of probate tax, which he announced in the Budget? Unfortunately for Mary who called, he could not, but there were sound reasons for this. "It is not possible for me to backdate the abolition because it would create a principle I wouldn't want to establish in the taxation code," he replied.

When challenged that the Budget favoured working people over those not in work, the Minister replied: "The amount of money given in social welfare and in other areas of social exclusion are far in excess of anything we've ever done before or even contemplated."