Results 2,001-2,020 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Sep 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I am sure the excellent Minister for Agriculture and Food is far from missing, but mixing with farmers and agri-representatives at the National Ploughing Championships in Tullow.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Sep 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I would like the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to check how information on Senators is collected and verified by the Eircom directory, where I am listed as a Labour Party Senator elected on the industrial and commercial panel. I do not wish to cause alarm to my colleagues here or, still more, to Senator Ryan, but if I was going to defect to the Labour Party, which I am not, I would...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I entirely agree with Senator Quinn that legislation passed by the Oireachtas should be implemented and not obstructed by servants of the State who are specially charged with implementation of the law. I look forward to lengthy, detailed and reasoned debate on the Privacy Bill. I am sure this Bill, like many others of its kind, will be capable of being much improved in its passage through...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Transport Bill 2006: Second Stage (3 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the legislation. This Government has made a real effort to improve road safety. Sustained results are needed, not short-term results. I wish to dissipate the assumption underlying all contributions to this debate that the Government is solely responsible for road safety. Each and every one of us, when on the road, is responsible for the safety of ourselves and everybody we pass....

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Annual Report 2005: Statements (3 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I very much welcome this report. I wish to comment briefly on the history of the National Development Finance Agency. It was born out of the National Treasury Management Agency which is one of the most successful initiatives that has been undertaken in the past 20 years. I was privileged to have witnessed its inception. It was part of the policy platform for the February 1987 election,...

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Annual Report 2005: Statements (3 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I recall having a conversation with a former Fine Gael Taoiseach. We were discussing the various economic development initiatives in 1987, and one of them had not come through. With the best will in the world one has to be prepared to take risks and some will not work out. Take the assertion that Luas is a financial disaster. Luas is an enormous public and financial success. The budget...

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Annual Report 2005: Statements (3 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: The Senator is not being fair to the public service. I think it does learn.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: Has it occurred to the Opposition that there may be security issues in a person revealing where he or she kept money if it was not in a bank account?

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: It would be useful if the House had a pre-budget financial and economic debate. I was astonished to read a comment from a former editor of London's The Times which stated that as a result of its tax policies, the Republic has become much wealthier than the North and is wealthier than its neighbouring islands for the first time since the Dark Ages.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: This is a tribute to the management of the economy over the past ten years which has made it the envy of the world. As confirmed in the Exchequer returns published yesterday, stamp duty and capital acquisitions tax have reached their full——

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: ——year value. Growth in gross national product in the first half of the year is running at an average of 8%.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: They should be required to do so because it is socially desirable.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I was without a line for a week in south Tipperary.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (11 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: The historical record does not show that.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (11 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: Does the Senator want to talk about The Workers' Party angels?

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (11 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I would welcome a debate on the report published yesterday by the ESRI on the horseracing industry. How much was based on research on course? People tend to forget this debate is not just about a sport but about an industry that produces live goods and services, employs thousands of people and in which most of the inputs are domestic. It is at least as important an employer as large...

Seanad: Energy Resources: Motion (11 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and I also welcome the Green Paper. The Opposition amendment contains many aspirations——

Seanad: Energy Resources: Motion (11 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: ——but it does not condemn it as a discussion document.

Seanad: Energy Resources: Motion (11 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I am probably the only Member of the House who was involved in the preparation of the last Green Paper on energy policy, which was produced in 1978 under the aegis of the Department of Industry, Commerce and Energy. Outside Departments had an advisory role. At that stage it was thought that nuclear and coal were the routes to take but subsequent events proved otherwise. I agree with the...

Seanad: Energy Resources: Motion (11 Oct 2006)

Martin Mansergh: ——if that is not economic.