Results 1,141-1,160 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Seanad: Tax Code: Motion. (10 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: Corporation tax.

Seanad: Tax Code: Motion. (10 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: The Senator has done it twice.

Seanad: Tax Code: Motion. (10 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: It started in 1989.

Seanad: Tax Code: Motion. (10 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: It has been a good debate and I compliment Senators on all sides of the House. We were privileged to have a particularly lucid speech from the Minister but there were also valuable contributions from, among others, Senators McDowell and Ross and I compliment Senator Terry on her contribution which addressed a serious social problem. I will address some points which arose during the debate....

Seanad: Tax Code: Motion. (10 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: Senator McDowell said all that needed to be said about the coherence of the amendment. There is a great degree of consensus, which was evident in the debate, that the economy is the on the right road and needs to be kept there. There is real debate on what should be done with revenue and the fruits of economic growth and what are the priorities. I commend the motion to the House.

Seanad: Public Private Partnerships: Statements. (17 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and welcome this debate. In a general sense it could be said the entire economy is a public private partnership. There are very few private sector activities that do not receive State or EU support in some shape or form. Equally there are few State sector activities that do not involve a fair degree of interaction and co-operation with the private...

Seanad: Public Private Partnerships: Statements (Resumed). (17 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: It is a separate jurisdiction in the North.

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: No one over the age of 70, save in the most exceptional circumstances, should be sent to prison. I agree that we should have the debate proposed by Senator Ó Murchú. What influences the mentality of those who would go and beat up old people in the manner shown? I welcome, in so far as they go, the concrete increases of €50 million or €60 million in the overseas development aid budget....

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: It is a question of the time period within which it is achieved.

Seanad: Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill 1999: Second Stage. (24 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and I also welcome the Bill. It has been delayed for five years because of legal challenges but this is an opportunity to close loopholes and to provide the broadest practical definitions and flexibility of operation. This is one of the most important and successful criminal law initiatives ever undertaken. The original legislation was introduced...

Seanad: Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill 1999: Second Stage. (24 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: However, I agree it is important to spend money on disadvantaged communities where the effects of drugs trafficking are often most visible. The Minister is contemplating an amendment, which will also deal with corruption and bring that under the ambit of the Criminal Assets Bureau. Like Sherlock Holmes's dog that did not bark in the night, it is striking that in the eight years the Act has...

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2005: Statements. (24 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I look forward to seeing and reading the Fine Gael Party's root and branch reforms of public spending. It will be interesting to note the extent to which such reforms will be agreed with other possible partners. I warmly welcome the Minister and the Book of Estimates. The Estimates form part of a four stage process, the next stages of which are the budget, followed by the Revised Book of...

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2005: Statements. (24 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: Any socialist would be proud of that.

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2005: Statements. (24 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: Those things have not always been achieved by socialist methods. For example, the cutting of capital gains tax from 40% to 20%——

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2005: Statements. (24 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: ——goes completely against the grain of a certain type of thinking although it produces far more revenue. The philosophy behind such thinking is that if it does not hurt it does not work and if the pips do not squeak that is not good enough. The Taoiseach's basic point which the media did not pick up well, is that one creates wealth first and then redistributes it.

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2005: Statements. (24 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: One does not redistribute first and regard wealth as a given or as something to be considered afterwards. To be fair to the old Workers Party, it attached significant importance——

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2005: Statements. (24 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: ——to economic policy even if it was State enterprise-based. The Minister makes a valid point that social welfare has increased despite the drop in unemployment from 10% in 1997 to 5%, which underlines the substantial increase in resources. For example, since 1997, child benefit has increased from €500 million to €1.8 billion. The Minister also referred to the extra spending on health...

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2005: Statements. (24 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: Those are very real achievements. The sports programme is of great benefit all around the country including in Senator John Paul Phelan's constituency. I am glad to see increased funding for the RAPID programme and for community employment.

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2005: Statements. (24 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: If the Senator looked a little more closely at the Book of Estimates he would see that income for local government is up 5% not 1%. One will not find the cost of 2,000 fully employed gardaí in the Book of Estimates. Some of them are coming into training. I have no doubt about the Government's determination to raise the number of gardaí to 14,000.

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2005: Statements. (24 Nov 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I do not know how many extra gardaí were brought in when the Senator's party was last in Government, which was rather a long time ago.