Results 4,621-4,640 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (19 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I thank the House for agreeing to discuss this Bill today at short notice. The Bill is needed to allow the State to accept amendments to the IMF articles of agreement, which were approved by the IMF board of governors in early 2008. The acceptance of these amendments by Ireland will contribute to the process of bringing them into force....

Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (19 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: A Cheann Comhairle, am I not expected to reply to the debate?

Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (19 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: I thank the main parties in Opposition for their support for this legislation in the House for what has been an interesting debate on what is undoubtedly a technical piece of legislation. To refer to the legislation itself, and I do not want to exaggerate this, and also the follow up on the 2010 agreement, it allows us to shave interest rates. That will only happen from the date those...

Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: Before replying, may I ask a question of clarification? When the Deputy referred to Tanzania, was she referring to that country in 1980s?

Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: As the Deputy acknowledged in her contribution, the way the IMF operates today is significantly different from the way it was accustomed to operating in the 1980s. By way of clarification, the two IMF conferences I attended on behalf of the Minister for Finance took place in September or early October 2008 in Washington and the following year at about the same time in Istanbul. The Minister...

Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: I will come to that issue. The Canadians came because the Canadian Minister is head of what is known as the constituency. At ministerial and sub-ministerial level they visit occasionally to maintain good relations and discuss matters with us. It is part of keeping in touch with the constituency. I am sure they do the same vis-À-vis Caribbean countries. It would be wrong to see the...

Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: As with every other international organisation, we have senior officials seconded to it. At the current time there is an alternative executive director in Washington, Mr. Stephen O'Sullivan, and an adviser, Mr. Peter McGoldrick. When I was there in 2008 a different person was in place who has since returned to the Central Bank. If the Deputy wants information on the review of the...

Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: There is a lot to be said for the way the Canadians conduct their affairs. They are cautious and conservative and should not get into as much trouble as other larger nations. It is like Sweden and Finland, in that it is a country which does not have a reputation of being in any way domineering but can provide useful, friendly and disinterested advice and inputs. That is the value of a...

Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: From reading Schedule 3, it is clear it contains the articles of agreement as currently stated, whereas the first two Schedules contain amendments.

Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: Yes.

Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: I thank Deputies for their co-operation in passing this legislation.

Written Answers — Flood Relief: Flood Relief (19 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: The lands concerned are served by two channels of the Glyde & Dee Arterial Drainage Scheme. The Office of Public Works is statutorily responsible for the maintenance of the scheme. The channels are maintained on a three to four year cycle to ensure that the scheme operates to design level. The OPW was in contact with the landowner last year, and maintenance was subsequently undertaken to one...

Written Answers — National Parks: National Parks (19 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: The Office of Public Works has already agreed in principle to the proposed transfer of land to facilitate the extension of the Abbey Island cemetery, subject to OPW's specific concerns being met. We will be arranging a meeting in the immediate future with officials from Kerry County Council to expedite the process.

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (20 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: 1Since the vacating of the property by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform was finalised at the end of May 2010, security and maintenance works have been provided by the Commissioners of Public Works on an ongoing basis. This has included the removal of illegally dumped materials. There is a regular security presence on the site and all recorded information on anti-social...

Written Answers — National Procurement Service: National Procurement Service (20 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: The National Procurement Service (NPS) is currently engaged in a tender process for the procurement of Stationery and Office Supplies. This process is now at evaluation stage. No award has yet been made to any party. The NPS is anxious to support SMEs, and to this end included the following text in the Request for tender (RFT) of the Stationery and Office Supplies tender. It was felt that...

Seanad: Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second and Subsequent Stages (20 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: I thank Members of the Seanad for agreeing to discuss this Bill today at short notice. I will begin by recalling the background to the Bretton Woods Agreements to which this Bill refers. The International Monetary Fund, IMF, was conceived in 1944 when representatives of 45 countries, meeting in the town of Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, in the United States, agreed on a framework for...

Seanad: Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second and Subsequent Stages (20 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: I thank the Senators who contributed to this debate. As we have seen with the United Nations, the reform of international institutions tends to proceed rather slowly but we must be grateful for what has happened. Obviously, we are discussing decisions taken in 2008 but the situation has accelerated vastly since then and there will be a follow-up to the meeting in 2010. Undoubtedly the...

Seanad: Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2011: Motion for Earlier Signature (20 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: I thank Senators for their co-operation in expeditiously passing the Bill, which is a significant component of the work that is left for this Oireachtas to do. I also thank speakers for their good wishes, which I reciprocate, whatever political path they propose to follow in the immediate future.

Written Answers — Garda Accommodation: Garda Accommodation (25 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: It is proposed that these premises at Ballybofey will be used on a temporary basis as a Garda Station, pending the completion of refurbishment works at the existing Station in a number of months' time. The Commissioners of Public Works have not considered the position in relation to the temporary Garda Station accommodation at Ballybofey vis-a-vis Part 5 of the Planning and Development Act,...

Written Answers — Archaeological Sites: Archaeological Sites (25 Jan 2011)

Martin Mansergh: Conservation works will commence on Rattoo Round Tower this year. Arrangements have been made to erect scaffolding to enable masons to access the structure.