Results 581-600 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2004: Statements. (26 Nov 2003)

Martin Mansergh: That is an overstatement.

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2004: Statements. (26 Nov 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Quite.

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2004: Statements. (26 Nov 2003)

Martin Mansergh: And Ennis.

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Nov 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Edmund Burke would have been proud of this House this morning. The age of chivalry has not gone forever.

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Nov 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Yes I have one question for the Leader. I would like to support Senator Leyden's request for a balanced debate on the Middle East. If the way the security fence is drawn is unacceptable so are the suicide bombings which kill many innocent civilians.

Seanad: Address by Ms Nuala Ahern, MEP. (27 Nov 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome Ms Ahern to the House. I am much in sympathy with what she said about the nuclear industry. If the Government wanted to invest €36 million in Aer Lingus, the EU Commission would quickly point out that it was entirely contrary to laws and rules of competition etc. and would constitute unacceptable State aid. It is extraordinary that no one blinks an eyelid when €36 billion is...

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Dec 2003)

Martin Mansergh: The Leader may wish to raise a procedural issue at the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. Many motions on the Order Paper are outdated. Some of them concern matters that have been addressed. They date back to December 2002.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Dec 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Perhaps the procedure whereby motions go on to and stay on the Order Paper might be reviewed.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Dec 2003)

Martin Mansergh: That is too long and it should be reconsidered. I support Senator Hayes's request for a debate on a press council, which would be very useful. We should also have a rounded debate on competitiveness. While I have not read the National Competitiveness Council's report, I note from the headlines that we have one of the highest industrial electricity costs. However, we have relatively low...

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Very good.

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I am an Irish Farmers Association member.

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Does that disqualify me from being a union member?

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Very steady.

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I am delighted with this budget.

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Martin Mansergh: It is an excellent budget from many different points of view. One of the reasons I am pleased is that the Minister was up-front about decentralisation.

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I am sure Members from all sides are pleased that the decentralisation programme will benefit 53 locations. Many people had stopped believing that decentralisation would ever happen, but—

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Martin Mansergh: —it is happening now. The decentralisation of 200 public service jobs to Tipperary will make an enormous difference to the town.

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I am sure decentralisation will make a similar difference to other towns. It has been mentioned that few jobs are to be decentralised west of the Shannon, but the first decentralisation programme in the early 1990s focused on that region to an overwhelming extent. The two programmes have to be considered together. Not only does today's announcement represent a fulfilment of many promises that...

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I have every faith that the decentralisation process will be successful. Other places will benefit when it is carried forward. Senator O'Toole made clear that certain pension changes will be subject to a good deal of discussion and, perhaps, negotiation in the context of the next partnership agreement. I do not doubt that the partnership agreement will survive. Senator Ross seems to think...

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Martin Mansergh: The fact is—