Results 3,661-3,680 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: [Seanad] Second Stage (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: Mr. Smith, like me, comes from County Tipperary. The paradox is that Tipperary town was once reputed to have had the highest number of licensed premises per head of population, yet the birthplace of Fr. Matthew was just five miles away.

Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: [Seanad] Second Stage (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: A Fine Gael councillor lives in that house these days. The Deputy might know him.

Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: [Seanad] Second Stage (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: Councillor Michael Fitzgerald. I am convinced that people will adapt, as they have to other changes. It is not the case that one can only drink alcohol in a pub; one can drink tea, coffee, minerals and non-alcoholic beers. Much of the downturn in the trade has to do with other economic factors, the fact that there is a sharp recession and, in some cases, the fact that there has not been...

Mortgage Arrears: Motion (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: - legal repossessions of home owners reported by the institutions covered by the guarantee amount to 20 in the first nine months of this year; - the mortgage interest subsidy scheme provides an important safety net for mortgage borrowers who get into difficulties and that more than...

Mortgage Arrears: Motion (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I believe the script will be circulated nonetheless. Most of the proposals by parties in advance of the last election were measures to keep the housing boom going. As far as Government revenues from stamp and other duties were concerned, they were used for economic and social purposes, such as extra special needs assistants, roads, higher pensions, child benefit and benchmarking for the...

Mortgage Arrears: Motion (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: The suggestion that some commentators make again and again that thousands of ordinary families are at risk of being evicted from their homes shortly is very far from the truth.

Mortgage Arrears: Motion (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I accept the situation needs to be very closely monitored and this suggestion was made often during the debate on the National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, but there is no evidence to date of an increase in repossessions. The proposal for a lengthy moratorium is highly dangerous in terms of financial market perceptions and the effect they might have on the funding of the banks on which the...

Air Travel Tax. (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: Almost. It is south Tipperary.

Air Travel Tax. (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I am pleased to take the opportunity to comment on the air travel tax and express my regret at the decision of certain airlines to withdraw flights and services from Shannon Airport. The Minister accepts that the airline industry, with other industries within the transport sector and beyond, continues to go through a difficult trading period. However, he does not accept that the decline in...

Air Travel Tax. (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: -----band B, 2,001 to 4,000 miles, £45; band C, 4,001 to 6,000 miles, £50; and band D, over 6,000 miles, £55 in the case of economy class. These rates double in the case of tickets other than economy class. One might be tempted to argue why the airlines which use UK airports - some use them very heavily - do not bully the British Government.

Air Travel Tax. (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: The base band A rate is being further increased to £12 from 1 November 2010, with increases of 30% to over 50% being applied to the other three bands, B, C and D, also from that date. In France, the civil aviation tax is charged at around €4 for EU destinations and €7 for other destinations. Moving further afield, Australia and New Zealand which, like Ireland, are extraordinarily...

Written Answers — Public Service Contracts: Public Service Contracts (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: To date, the value of savings achieved from the procurement review is €21.5 million. The savings were achieved in the supply of goods and services to Government Departments, Offices, Agencies and Third Level Institutions. The savings were achieved over the supply of a large number of goods and services. Among the main areas where savings were achieved were I.T. Hardware, Energy,...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 147 together. The Government decided that "the Office of Public Works would chair a working group to develop a structured and coherent approach to the further management and development of the site, on the basis that Cork County Council would be asked to continue to discharge site management responsibilities on an agency basis...". OPW is in the...

Written Answers — Central Procurement Unit: Central Procurement Unit (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: The National Public Procurement Operations Unit (NPPOU) has been established by Government Decision on 8 July 2008 and is based in the Office of Public Works, Trim, Co. Meath. The Unit is actively working to reduce costs in public procurement through a number of initiatives that include: Percentage reduction in goods and services contracts. A reduction of 8% in the cost of all goods and...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: The Office of Public Works (OPW) placed a contract with P. Elliott & Co. Ltd. in the sum of €24,894,841, including VAT, for the Design and Build of the Department of Defence new headquarters at Station Road, Newbridge, Co. Kildare. Work on site is well advanced and is expected to be completed by the end of 2009. Expenditure of approximately €25,500,000 has been incurred up to end...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: The former Government Offices at Kells Road, Navan are State-owned, so no rental costs arise. While the OPW has no immediate use for the building, it is a very valuable and strategic site, which will be retained by the State. A range of options for its longer-term use is being considered. To maintain the basic fabric of the building and prevent its further deterioration, limited services...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: While the reinstatement of Leinster Lawn was undertaken by the Office of Public Works out of funds provided to that Office, the management of the Leinster House complex, including the question of permitting access to the Lawn by the general public, is a matter for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission.

Written Answers — Flood Relief: Flood Relief (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: The Office of Public Works has no statutory responsibility for the boglands at the townlands referred to by the Deputy in his question. It is the understanding of the Commissioners of Public Works that responsibility for the drainage of the particular boglands lies with the Sugarstown and Kilfane Drainage District, which is overseen by the Local Authority.

Written Answers — Flood Relief: Flood Relief (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: The Commissioners of Public Works expect that the ecologists report regarding potential measures to address the flood problem at Roundfort - Hollymount will be finalised by mid-November.

Written Answers — Flood Relief: Flood Relief (3 Nov 2009)

Martin Mansergh: The Office of Public Works understands that Dublin City Council has completed detailed design for the North City Arterial Water Main, which incorporates the Clontarf Flood Defence Project. The water main project is to be funded by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Dublin City Council and the Office of Public Works have had discussions in relation to funding...