With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 63, 68, 69 and 120 together.
Inflation in 1997 turned out to be 1.5 per cent on a consumer price index basis, compared with the original forecast of 2.2 per cent as published at the beginning of the year. My forecast for inflation for 1998 is 2 per cent as published on 3 December in the Economic Background to the Budget. This was based on the standard assumption of unchanged interest and exchange rates. Updated forecasts will as usual be published by my Department at mid-year in the Economic Review and Outlook publication.