Results 2,201-2,220 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (14 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: That is not true of the Seanad.

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (14 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: It is the decision-making process.

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2006:Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I thank the Minister of State for his assistance in getting this Bill passed expeditiously. Despite the relative brevity of the debate, it is an important Bill and an important second stage in the life of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. As I said previously, the commission is working well. The Minister of State made a very important contribution to the work of the commission as...

Seanad: EU Directives. (14 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brendan Smith. The previous matter related to a lack of clean water and this matter has a lot to do with the excess of soiled water. I have been involved in the family farm for 37 years, first with my father and brother and subsequently with just my brother. A number of inspections have taken place in connection with various schemes, in addition to TB...

Seanad: EU Directives. (14 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I thank the Minister of State for his helpful and reassuring reply both in regard to the relatively small nature of the reductions except in severe cases of infringement and equally the reassurance — which would have been my experience in the past — that a certain level of tolerance is applied, which is all I seek. I understand the Department is working hard on the exact definitions of...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: Like previous Senators, I deeply regret the decision of BUPA to pull out of the Irish market and the loss of jobs involved. I also regret the removal of this element of competition. At the same time, I must praise the Minister for Health and Children for upholding the principle of community rating in public policy guidelines. I am not a believer in unbridled competition.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: It is sometimes presented in this House as if it is an unqualified good. I do not wish to see the break-up of VHI, which has served the Irish well for a long time, any more than I wish to see the break-up of the ESB. Somewhat perversely, competition has led to increased electricity prices rather than reductions. If one has any doubts on the unlimited virtues of competition, there was news...

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2006: Second Stage (15 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister of State and his officials to the House and wish them a happy Christmas and an equally successful new year. The end of the year sees the public finances in excellent order, with economic growth of 7%, employment rising, economic activity buzzing and visible all around the country and the same prospects for next year. Reference was made to inflation. I would point out...

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I repeat the good wishes I already incorporated in my Second Stage speech.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2006: Motion for Earlier Signature (15 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I move: That pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Appropriation Bill 2006 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to her.

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Jan 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I ask for a debate on the national development plan which is an excellent and ambitious programme for progress over the next ten years——

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Jan 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I would have thought Senator Ryan, like myself ——

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Jan 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I am entitled to ask for a debate.

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Jan 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I thought Senator Ryan, like myself, would be availing of the important and excellent improvements in communications from the south of this country, both by road and by rail but he is not here to confirm this.

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Jan 2007)

Martin Mansergh: The second point on which it would be good to have a debate is the subject of developments in Northern Ireland. We all welcome the decision of Sinn Féin to participate in and support——

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Jan 2007)

Martin Mansergh: ——policing, both from the point of view that it removes an obstacle to the operation of democracy, the rule of law and power-sharing devolution in the immediate future, but also because it helps to level the playing field as and between the different communities in Northern Ireland so that policing is no longer mainly the preserve of one community vis-À-vis the other. A debate to...

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Jan 2007)

Martin Mansergh: It is a different story in south Tipperary, as the Senator knows.

Seanad: Human Rights Issues: Motion (31 Jan 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister of State and his officials to the House. I was quite interested in the Fine Gael contribution. Are we to conclude from it that a Fine Gael-led Government would forthwith ban the use of Shannon Airport by certain categories of US aircraft? It would be important to know the answer to this question. I do not see any difference between the sides of the House on the...

Seanad: Human Rights Issues: Motion (31 Jan 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I find it extraordinary that someone who is so concerned about empty aircraft going through Shannon Airport, does not seem to have the same concern for a 45-year old——

Seanad: Human Rights Issues: Motion (31 Jan 2007)

Martin Mansergh: ——Communist dictatorship which carried out thousands of executions in the early years and executions in 2003 of people trying to flee to the United States——