Results 3,041-3,060 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (4 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: The Park Rangers have been instructed to request pedestrians to use footpaths rather than cycle lanes for safety purposes and regularly patrol the cycle lanes to encourage pedestrians to use the footpaths. In addition, the markings on the cycle lanes have recently been renewed.

Written Answers — Departmental Procurement: Departmental Procurement (4 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: The 178th annual exhibition of the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) was selected and assembled by Members of the RHA. The Members of the RHA viewed over 3,000 submitted works of art, and chose 535 of what they considered to be the very best. From this exhibition, nineteen works of art were chosen by representatives from Garda headquarters in the Phoenix Park with the expert advice and...

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: Yes.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: I begin by completing Senator Ned O'Sullivan's quotation from Charlie Haughey, who said that if economics is the dismal science, then politics must be the profession of hope. I thank all Senators for a very good and overwhelmingly constructive debate, which contained some very good suggestions in many areas that deserve to be examined more closely. I will begin by making general remarks and...

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: The Minister had a passage on competitiveness and dealt with precisely the same points as Senator Donohoe. I join tributes from this side of the House on the work Senator Donohoe's sub-committee did on the European treaty.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: I watched on the monitor some of the hearings over recent weeks and followed them in the newspapers. He was a good Chairman of the all-party sub-committee. I agree with his point that the question of the Lisbon treaty needs to be integrated into most of our debates. It is the case that if we do not resolve the matter satisfactorily, it will make our economic and financial problems a great...

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: As a small, open economy, there is considerable leakage to the benefit of other economies. Our public finances are at full stretch. The Fine Gael Party argues that our borrowing level is too high and should be lowered. Some of the criticism vis-À-vis attitudes to the public sector is that it has appeared that the entire weight of that further reduction in borrowing is to be borne by even...

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: There is no difference of opinion on the subject of social partnership.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: There is total commitment throughout the Government to social partnership.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: I am unaware of any Government Member who is opposed to it. Fine Gael has called for a public service pay freeze, but an 11-month freeze is already in place. The Fine Gael proposal is that it should be extended by one month. That would not lead to a significant saving.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: All Deputies and Senators are entitled to put forward creative views.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: Senator Fitzgerald asked about the evaluation of public expenditure. That exercise is focused on current expenditure. She also asked about progress on public procurement reform. I remind Senators that savings were achieved during the course of this year and that projected savings are integrated into the Estimates for 2009. However, more work is to be done in this regard, as in every area...

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: Senator Fitzgerald made some very derogatory comments on the subject of decentralisation, which is what one tends to hear from Deputies and Senators representing areas in south Dublin. It is important to note that within two years' time, incorporating the recent budget decisions, 6,000 of the originally envisaged 10,000 staff will be in place in different parts of the State.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: As anybody from outside Dublin knows, the decentralisation programme has been of major benefit to the areas concerned. Moreover, Fine Gael Deputies and Senators in these areas are fully in support of decentralisation unlike some of their Dublin colleagues.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: Comparisons are sometimes made with the situation in 1997. It is my recollection that we already had three or four good economic years, prior to the instatement of the rainbow Government, during the Fianna Fáil-Labour Government of 1993 to 1994.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: The term "Celtic tiger" was first used in August or September 1994.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: The amazing thing is how long a run we had. We have had the most fantastic economic run in our history. However, it was never going to be eternal.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: We did not succeed in abolishing the economic cycle. Next Monday, I will attend the opening of the Cullahill-Cashel motorway, only six or seven months after I opened the Cahir-Mitchelstown motorway. These additional 40 miles of motorway will be of benefit not only to people in Tipperary but also in Cork and elsewhere.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: The reality is that Fine Gael has offered little other than tired clichés. As a former leader of that party once said to me, "You do not win everything that you try; and if you do not try anything, you will never succeed." This Government has had one or two failures and they are trotted out on every occasion.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Martin Mansergh: However, there has been vast investment in schools, hospitals and other infrastructure. We have made good use of the resources available to us. I am not worried about the precedents.