Results 821-840 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Seanad: Finance Bill (Certified Money Bill) 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I was about to come to that. I do not recommend Gordon Brown's approach, which is very different. According to Gordon Brown, 20,000 civil servants are to be moved out of London and, God help us, those who do not want to go will be made redundant. The civil servants will experience a 27% cut in salary and lose London allowances. We have a different way of doing things here, which I much...

Seanad: Finance Bill (Certified Money Bill) 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I agree.

Seanad: Finance Bill (Certified Money Bill) 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: The Senator frequently does.

Seanad: Finance Bill (Certified Money Bill) 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: The Senator might be right.

Seanad: Finance Bill (Certified Money Bill) 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: It has already been started.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister for Finance and his officials. I beg leave to doubt whether the Fine Gael Party actually believes tax credits should be indexed. Whenever it is in Government again, I doubt it will implement such a practice. It is essential for the Minister for Finance to have a degree of flexibility. At times, it may be possible for him to do much more than indexing. At others, it may...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: The Minister is to be complimented on his decision to increase the transparency of the public finances. There is an obvious public interest in that regard, because there may be an effect on confidence if commentators get it wrong or are too gloomy. Equally, it is not desirable that such people should be too optimistic. I accept the qualifications made by the Minister. Unfortunately, I do not...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: Many of these reliefs are considered by the tax strategy group and the group's papers are published after the budget.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: The strategy group's papers are normally published after the budget.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: After the Finance Bill, I beg the Senator's pardon.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: The Minister is correct. I always thought of the tax strategy group as a kind of clearing house and I mean that quite literally; it cleared a number of things out of the way as non-runners. The urban renewal scheme was introduced in 1985 by the Fine Gael-Labour Government and the seaside resorts scheme, about which I have distinctly more mixed feelings, was also introduced in 1985——

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: ——at the behest of the current leader of Fine Gael and much to the benefit of the Leas-Chathaoirleach's county.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: We are trying to raise pleasant visions of home in the mind of the Leas-Chathaoirleach. The Minister has replied very positively to this recommendation. My understanding is that he is interested in collecting more objective information about how certain reliefs operate. I notice Senator Browne could not resist flogging a live horse regarding stallion fees.I would be surprised if that does not...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: If most of the construction property related reliefs are kept going indefinitely, they cease to have any effect. If they are meant to have a certain stimulating effect, they should be time-limited. The Minister has extended the time limits as long as they should be.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: If we have reached 90% this year, it is politically inconceivable that the Minister for Finance would not wish to complete that process as soon as possible.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: There is undoubtedly a lot of sympathy among my colleagues for this idea. It is not hypocrisy to express support or sympathy for what is prima facie a good idea and then, if reasons are given as to why the idea does not stand up in that particular form, accepting those reasons. All of us find ourselves in that position. Without anticipating the Minister's reply, the measure he introduced in...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I remind the Senator that Tipperary is the premier county.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: There is also camogie.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I agree broadly with the sentiments of my colleagues. Any judgment must be pragmatic to maximise the public good for individuals in this country. There is a person I will not name, as to do so would be to contravene the rules of the House, who is much criticised, particularly on the Order of Business. To give Members a clue to his identity, he runs a successful airline company. To be fair,...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I thank the Minister for his reply. As I indicated in my contribution, I did not expect that changing this would be on the Minister's agenda. I accept this as a pragmatic judgment. There is no harm in expressing the widespread feelings held by the public about such persons. Many people find their decision regrettable. If tax liability were linked to citizenship then, unfortunately, there...