The Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, asked why Mr McCreevy had allowed the Minister for Environment and Local Government to announce motor tax increases "by press release".

The Tanaiste, Ms Harney, said: "the Minister for Finance dealt with many issues in the Budget which cannot all be delivered in a speech of a reasonable length".

She was standing in for the Taoiseach who is attending the EU summit in Nice.

Mr Bruton, she said, was well aware that motor-tax revenue went directly to local authorities.

Young people, especially heterosexuals, were taking more risks sexually and were not as fearful, said the Minister of State for Health, who announced a significant increase in the number of HIV cases this year. Dr Tom Moffatt said 169 new cases had been reported in the first six months compared to 76 cases in the first five months of 1999 and 209 for all of last year.