Results 1,221-1,240 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I warmly welcome amendment No. 37. The matter arose on Second Stage when I, among others, pressed very strongly for the inclusion of town councils rather than just county and city councils. I have come to the House from the Oireachtas Library where I consulted section 2 of the Local Government Act 2001, which contains the definitions of terms used in that statute. According to the Act, "local...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I support the views of my colleagues, particularly on amendment No. 42. I agree with the points made by Senator Jim Walsh. It would be difficult for policing committees to be established without the issue of guidelines. It is not an option, but is something that would have to be done. I am more agnostic about the three months and would be even more so with regard to amendment No. 44 because...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I have difficulty following the Minister of State's logic. If he is going to include a time limit but keeps the word "may", that will not impose an obligation. I cannot see the consistency between a time limit which implies "shall" with retention of the word "may".

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I support amendments Nos. 46 and 47. I have some reservations about amendment No. 45. I will make three or four quick points. It is good that the framework of the city and county development board is gone as it does not seem to be the appropriate framework. As I stated on Second Stage, I would be attached to the idea of towns which have local councils having policing committees of their own....

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: Perhaps, plus an electoral district.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Second Stage. (9 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Bill. The Minister of State, whom I welcome to the House, has important responsibilities. Two of the major issues to arise during the previous general election were road safety, notably the number of fatalities, and the cost of insurance, both of which fall to some degree under the Minister of State's remit. The main reason for the Bill is to adjust the speed limits and change...

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Second Stage. (9 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I urge the Minister to work with Northern Ministers to establish a penalty points system for the whole of the island. There may be some political reasons as to why that has not happened.

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I support the requests for an ample debate on Northern Ireland next week because it is necessary. While we were very close to agreement and while not underestimating the importance of what remained to be agreed, it is important that people from all parties and the Governments do not draw back from what they have been prepared to agree. I was encouraged, for example, that the IRA interview in...

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: That is a complete misrepresentation.

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: Has the Senator read the report on Seanad reform?

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: That is a sexist adjective.

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: The Taoiseach gave an example yesterday, as he did during the week of the Good Friday Agreement, of a non-macho approach to peace making. He was prepared to go to great lengths not to put his own standing in the way of making peace. That is an example to all the parties in Northern Ireland and, where relevant, to parties here also.

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: There is no basis whatsoever for that assertion.

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: They are Government appointees.

Seanad: Northern Ireland Peace Process: Motion. (15 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: That is well justified.

Seanad: Northern Ireland Peace Process: Motion. (15 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I pay tribute to the great work done by the Taoiseach with his colleagues and civil servants over the past ten years on this but particularly since he became Taoiseach seven years ago. It has taken a great deal of time, been very arduous and required many sacrifices of him. We were privileged to listen to him today and have made significant progress to the point where closure is very near. We...

Seanad: Northern Ireland Peace Process: Motion. (15 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: Yes.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (15 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome the Bill, which is a real achievement. The Department of Social and Family Affairs will benefit from having a strong Minister which Deputy Brennan has been throughout his career. I wish to make a number of general points. It has become a cliché that Seán Lemass said that a rising tide lifts all boats. I worked through six volumes of his...

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Dec 2004)

Martin Mansergh: I pay tribute to the emergency services, including mountain rescue teams and lifeboats, which operate mostly on a voluntary basis. They work at some considerable risk to their own safety, often endangering their own lives in order to rescue people in difficulty. I would welcome a debate on Turkish accession to the European Union. I find it hard to understand that in the vigorously secular...