Results 2,381-2,400 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Seanad: Credit Union Savings Protection Bill 2007: Second Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: Section 19 states that all credit unions must abide by the new company's rules. At the very least, such rules must be agreed by consensus with the credit unions before one begins to impose them. Moreover, there may be difficulties in respect of the Competition Authority's views. On yesterday's Order of Business, I was somewhat critical of the Competition Authority. If its position is to...

Seanad: Credit Union Savings Protection Bill 2007: Motion to Withdraw. (1 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: At 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 6 March.

Seanad: Building Control Bill 2005: Second Stage (6 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I am disappointed by the lack of historical imagination shown by some speakers. People have no idea how ancient civilisations were organised if they believe the wonders of the ancient world, such as the pyramids or the hanging gardens of Babylon were jerry-built by people without qualifications. Just because we cannot decipher the hieroglyphs or the library of Alexandria has been lost does...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: In the understandable absence this morning of Senators from north Tipperary because of the circumstances, I would like to say that our hearts go out to the workers in Procter & Gamble in Nenagh. If industrial jobs can be brought, as they were, to Cashel last autumn, they can be also brought to a town like Nenagh. It is not accurate to describe full employment as applying to every provincial...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: The Opposition Senators do not like the facts. In 2001 and 2002 the Labour Party suggested that the introduction of the single tax should be deferred.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I would be very happy to have a debate on competitiveness because I do not think we should paint it in too gloomy colours. I wish to raise a second point. I was concerned at the misrepresentation of an aspect of proceedings in this House in a newspaper column in recent days about the Taoiseach's initiative, which we all welcome, about meetings with the churches. It was stated that it was...

Seanad: Roads Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: It is not the highest.

Seanad: Roads Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: The Senator is inviting interruptions.

Seanad: Roads Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: He would not be invited.

Seanad: Roads Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: Will come back.

Seanad: Roads Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I am not sure under what Standing Order injury time exists. I compliment Senator Ross on a statement worthy of Sir Boyle Roche, namely, that the Minister cannot bind his predecessors. Indeed, he cannot. I welcome the Minister and the Bill and congratulate him on the implementation of Transport 21. We all accept that over 30 or 40 years, there have been many road and other transport plans...

Seanad: Roads Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: ——and, second, one would clog up at all sorts of other pressure points. There has been a single point of tolling since the M50 opened in or around 1990 so I do not see any lack of credibility or any reason it should not continue that way. The truth of the matter is that, ideally, one should not have tolling at all on urban motorways. It is not in place around Paris, for example, but we...

Seanad: Roads Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: On a point of information——

Seanad: Roads Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: ——the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body, which met this week, is considering making penalty points applicable across the United Kingdom and Ireland and perhaps it should be allowed do the same with regard to tolls.

Seanad: Education System: Motion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the considered tone of Senator Brian Hayes's remarks because the motion is very partisan.

Seanad: Education System: Motion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: This Chamber is meant to be reflective as well as political.

Seanad: Education System: Motion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I hate to think we would degenerate into partisan slinging at one another. There will be some of that all the time.

Seanad: Education System: Motion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I have made my point which is a perfectly legitimate one. A great deal of progress has been made and we are fortunate to have the current Minister for Education and Science. She ranks equal with the Leader as the best Minister with responsibility for education in the past 20 years. When she is opening a new school, one can see how well she relates to children, parents and teachers. The...

Seanad: Education System: Motion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I take pleasure in the new gaelscoil in Tipperary town, the new gaelscoil in Annacarthy, the new school in Ballyporeen and the extension at Grange. The chairman of the board there is Mr. Liam Ahearn, the brother of the late, lamented Mrs. Theresa Ahearn.

Seanad: Education System: Motion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: The level of spending on building and improvement is far beyond what was possible in the past. There is much more to do, at least as much in the next five years as there was in the past five, and we are aware of many things that need to be done. One political point of debate, with the unions as much as the Opposition, is whether emphasis should be placed on reducing the pupil-teacher ratio...