Results 2,301-2,320 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: The Senator's tirade against multinationals is terribly dated and it is obvious his economic and political education has not progressed since the 1970s. That is the thinking one would have expected at that time. Multinationals have been an important but not the sole ingredient in the building of the Celtic tiger and our social and economic progress. The issue is not simply about tax or...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: He said the problem in Ireland is wages. He pays the minimum agricultural wage of €9.40 per hour while a good manager can be hired for €2 an hour in Poland. I asked him how he has remained in production and how he was able to expand. He replied it was because of productivity. He has bought a fine machine that composts the material, which previously took several people a week to do....

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I think the lack of grounding in economics is showing in this amendment. I have great respect for the jury system in determining whether people are innocent or guilty but in regard to the awarding of damages, jury judgments have, to say the least, been erratic. I come from the point of view that in a well-ordered society people have least possible recourse to the courts and that they not be...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I too would like to see the integrity of the public service ethos upheld. On rare occasions in days gone by one could work through until 5 a.m. or 7 a.m. without overtime, bonuses or incentives. I understand permanent civil servants now receive performance bonuses. I cannot state I wholly approve of this development. While most, or all, of us applaud the efforts of the Minister for...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: ——had in the legislation——

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: ——implementing the Patten report or purporting to implement the Patten report.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I thought it particularly disloyal in the past week——

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: ——for criticism to appear of the British Prime Minister and to portray him as having rings run around him by Sinn Féin.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: A criticism made without justification because as was pointed out by Senator Norris, Sinn Féin has moved a lot further from its original position than the British Government.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: With a new Prime Minister in Britain perhaps his term will be up and he will retire to obscurity to write with his undoubted talents a new version of The Prince or The Discourses.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: Negotiating.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: There is a net increase in manufacturing employment.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: Why does the Senator not join the company?

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: Is he present in the House?

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (20 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: It is amazing that there are still people in this country who do not realise that in cases of rape, it is the victims who suffer a life sentence. My learned friends say that there are many disadvantages with mandatory sentences. Is it the position that they do not work and, presumably, suspended sentences work better? This matter should be debated in the context of forthcoming justice...

Seanad: Education System: Motion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the considered tone of Senator Brian Hayes's remarks because the motion is very partisan.

Seanad: Education System: Motion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: This Chamber is meant to be reflective as well as political.

Seanad: Education System: Motion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I hate to think we would degenerate into partisan slinging at one another. There will be some of that all the time.

Seanad: Education System: Motion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I have made my point which is a perfectly legitimate one. A great deal of progress has been made and we are fortunate to have the current Minister for Education and Science. She ranks equal with the Leader as the best Minister with responsibility for education in the past 20 years. When she is opening a new school, one can see how well she relates to children, parents and teachers. The...

Seanad: Education System: Motion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2007)

Martin Mansergh: I take pleasure in the new gaelscoil in Tipperary town, the new gaelscoil in Annacarthy, the new school in Ballyporeen and the extension at Grange. The chairman of the board there is Mr. Liam Ahearn, the brother of the late, lamented Mrs. Theresa Ahearn.