Results 141-160 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I support and welcome the Bill which is based on the good experience we have had with the dormant bank accounts legislation. That scheme has raised €400 million, a substantial sum. Obviously, it is impossible to estimate what will be raised under this legislation but presumably it will be a useful amount. My experience of the dormant accounts legislation has been good. I had two accounts,...

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: It is not the IFA. The Senator should inquire how much it cost to re-purchase the Harcourt Street line in Dublin – it cost millions for a few hundred metres. That is where the major problem is.

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I would like to see a focus on this issue to have it properly debated. One of the newspapers recently reported that the metro to the airport was to cost €4 billion. I cannot stand over that figure – it may be wrong – but it is appalling that over half that sum will be spent on land compensation. There may be a case for having some form of bond scheme. Although it was not satisfactory in...

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I thank the Minister of State for taking us through the debate and for his very comprehensive reply to the points raised. Question put and agreed to. Committee Stage ordered for today at 4 p.m. Sitting suspended at 12.35 p.m. and resumed at 2p.m.

Seanad: Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion. (12 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Do not damage the furniture.

Seanad: Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion. (12 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I agree very much with Senator O'Toole's comments on the importance of the farming community being in social partnership. It concerns not just the particular matters that might be written into the programme but also the ongoing dialogue on problems arising in farming. I disagree with the Senator's statement about productivity and production. I believe the agricultural statistics show that...

Seanad: Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion. (12 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: If one enters into an argument—

Seanad: Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion. (12 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I make the general point that if one makes controversial arguments, one might also listen to the counter arguments, whoever one is.

Seanad: Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion. (12 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: The CAP is a fundamental part of the whole construction of the European Union. It costs very little in overall terms of GNP. It is vital as a security. My reservation about decoupling is that over time it will de-legitimise support for the CAP. There will be people who will abuse the ease and facility of the system and the media will get in and use it to discredit support for farming. It is...

Seanad: Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion. (12 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: On a point of order, we were sharing time.

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (13 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I thank the Minister of State and officials of the Department of Finance for carrying through this legislation, which is important from the point of view of consumers and the community at large. I hope the proceeds of the dormant accounts will be used for worthwhile projects, some of which we discussed yesterday. Question put and agreed to.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements. (18 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: We do not need to mention his name.

Seanad: Capital Acquisitions Tax Consolidation Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (18 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: The prime utility of a Bill of this kind is for tax practitioners to advise their clients. I was disappointed to hear today at an informal briefing on the Finance Bill by Department officials that this Bill will be amended again almost as soon as it is passed. This is for technical procedural reasons. They are across the board amendments that apply to all taxes to do with admissibility of...

Seanad: Capital Acquisitions Tax Consolidation Bill 2002: Motion for Earlier Signature. (18 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I move: That pursuant to subsection 2o of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Capital Acquisitions Tax Consolidation Bill 2002 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to her. Question put and agreed to.

Seanad: Finance and Related Matters: Statements. (18 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: The immediate trigger for this debate was the concern about the Exchequer returns for January and, in particular, some alarmist comments made by commentators on RTE and the fact that income tax receipts had appeared to be down. If one studies the Exchequer returns, given the circumstances and conditions, they are extraordinarily good. Very often – even in good times – the January returns...

Seanad: Finance and Related Matters: Statements. (18 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I am a vulnerable person in need of much protection. Senator Higgins talked about going for broke as if we were broke, when, in fact, the public finances have not been in as healthy a condition for at least 30 years.

Seanad: Finance and Related Matters: Statements. (18 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: On the other hand, we have the new Labour Party line which is that there is a €5.2 billion surplus. My old friend and colleague, Fergus Finlay, laid out the argument in full and I have noticed many Labour Party spokespersons repeat this line. The clear implication is that there is a lot of money in the Exchequer, so why is the Government not spending more of it? If capital spending is...

Seanad: Finance and Related Matters: Statements. (18 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: We must try to do the difficult thing. I accept the argument that, in many respects, our services are deficient. Infrastructural investment is well under way. I do not accept Senator Higgins's assertion that we have an appalling public transport system. I am grateful for the public transport system, which I use on a regular basis. I accept that it requires further improvement, but to use the...

Seanad: Finance and Related Matters: Statements. (18 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: —which stated that one had to increase the money raised from banks, corporations and wealthy individuals. I still know the figures because I recall researching them. In 1986 we raised approximately £34 million from capital taxes and £247 million from corporation tax. That has been magnified. Corporation tax has increased by well over 1,000%. This was not done by raising the tax level and...

Seanad: Finance and Related Matters: Statements. (18 Feb 2003)

Martin Mansergh: It is a realistic viewpoint.