Results 301-320 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I am entitled to argue that I think it is a good principle that communications between an Opposition party for costings with the Department of Finance—

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: The follow-up to questions only applies to the other House, in which Question Time occurs. The Opposition – any Deputy for that matter – can seek information from a Minister and probe for further information. When that process is complete, an FOI request can be promptly made. There may be a case that back-up replies should be automatically released. However, there is something bizarre, in...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: —that became a matter of great public controversy.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Quite right. Question, "That the words proposed to be deleted stand," put and declared carried. Amendment declared lost.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: We will believe that when we see it.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: It was in the programme for Government.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Yes, it was. I drafted it with Fergus Finlay.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: We are glad the Minister was present for Report Stage so that we could thrash out all the issues in an effective manner, including those contained in the Information Commissioner's report. I do not see this as a highly political Bill, although it has been politicised. What led to it's introduction was the report of the high level group. The senior civil servants involved in that group were...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Quite right too.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: In the context of Senator John Paul Phelan's request for a debate on the economy, I renew my request for a debate on the social partnership agreement in the course of which we could deal with matters such as inflation which is not expected to rise this year. It has been slowly, perhaps much too slowly, declining since 2000 and heading down towards a rate of 4% or less. One month's figures...

Seanad: Foreign Conflicts: Motion. (21 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: What about central and eastern Europe?

Seanad: Foreign Conflicts: Motion. (21 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: It took a little more than that.

Seanad: Foreign Conflicts: Motion. (21 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister and his officials to the House. I congratulate the Minister on his excellent speech with its strong emphasis on the humanitarian aspect. It was a fine contribution to the debate. I deeply regret the outbreak of war in Iraq and the failure of international diplomacy. I hope the war will finish quickly with a minimum of casualties on all sides and that the international...

Seanad: Foreign Conflicts: Motion. (21 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Argument about Irish interests are misunderstood. I agree with the IDA that decisions to invest in Ireland will not be influenced by the Government decision for or against the use of Shannon. What would be affected is the attitude of the US Administration and Congress which put themselves out for Ireland in the late 1980s over emigration and in the 1990s over the peace process, way beyond any...

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I agree with Senator Brian Hayes that we should have an opportunity to comment on significant observations by the Central Bank. We are taking the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Bill on Thursday, which will provide an opportunity to do so. No doubt the Finance Bill and the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill will also provide an opportunity to do so to some...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Second Stage. (25 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister for Finance and his officials. I congratulate the Minister on bringing forward the Finance Bill 2003. I wish to comment on one or two points made by Senator Higgins. The Senator implied that the Celtic tiger could be revived if other parties were in Government, but I do not think such an idea is based on reality. The eight years of exceptional growth enjoyed by this...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Second Stage. (25 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I do not know where Senator Higgins came across the figure of 61,000 jobs that were assisted by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, but which he said have been lost in the last two years. The figure is three times larger than the number of redundancies in that time.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Second Stage. (25 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: The Senator needs to re-examine his figures. Investment remains quite strong, as companies are continuing to invest here. I accept that competitiveness is a constant challenge and that one can never afford to rest on one's laurels, but I do not think we are doing too badly on the competitiveness front. Ireland is not losing many jobs to Germany, for example. Senator Higgins spoke of a Third...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Second Stage. (25 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: —on a Third World railway. Having travelled from Kilkenny on my way back from a meeting of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body, I totally disagree with the Senator's opinion. The suggestion that this country is in the same financial position as it was between 1977 and 1981 is false because our economic and financial fundamentals have never been so strong. I believe they will remain...