Results 2,541-2,560 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Seanad: Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (13 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: Who would be Flurry Knox?

Seanad: Garda Reform: Statements (13 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister and his officials. It is greatly to his and his Department's credit, and that of his predecessor, that when serious problems self-evidently arose in the Garda Síochána, they did not attempt to sweep them under the carpet. They did not try to establish some type of whitewash tribunal that might evade the prospect of appalling vistas and so on. Instead, they tackled...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed). (13 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: No. Senator Ormonde is correct that the Bill covers only a fraction of those matters to which one might take exception in the media. It will not get rid of scurrility in objective terms or what one might consider to be such. There is no way of doing that other than under the auspices of some type of authoritarian régime. Politicians are in a more advantageous position than most in that we...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed). (13 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome this Bill. It is important that it has the support — which I am sure was not easily won — of all the major interests. The question remains whether there should be privacy legislation in place to complement it. The media have condemned out of court the introduction of any such legislation. Can it be their position that nobody has any right to privacy? In practice, it often...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: He might have much longer.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: Like other Senators, I would welcome a debate on the proposals dealing with care of the elderly. The previous speaker is quite wrong in saying we have free third-level education, it is free for those who cannot afford it.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: The 15% figure is not an insuperable obstacle if families want to hold on to the property but I would share the concern expressed by others in the House that unless we consider the issue, it may put undue pressure on old people to hand over the property well before they get to the retirement stage. I join in congratulating Deputy Seán Haughey on his elevation and in tributes to Dermot...

Seanad: Genealogy and Heraldry Bill 2006: Second Stage (12 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I wish to share my time with Senators Jim Walsh and Lydon. I will speak for five minutes and they will share the other five minutes.

Seanad: Genealogy and Heraldry Bill 2006: Second Stage (12 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome this debate. We have relatively few debates on cultural and sporting issues in this House. Therefore, the Minister was quite in order to outline the outstanding achievements in all three areas of his portfolio. We should be grateful to Senator Ryan for bringing forward this Bill for discussion. Like other speakers, I pay tribute to the amount of work he put into it. He added to...

Seanad: Genealogy and Heraldry Bill 2006: Second Stage (12 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: The modern democratic aspect of heraldry relates to the emblems of civic organisations, clubs, societies etc. That has its importance. Senator Ryan gave an interesting history going back to the middle ages. He missed out the great scandal of the early 20th century, which was the involvement of the Ulster King of Arms, Arthur Vicars, in the disappearance of the Irish crown jewels....

Seanad: Genealogy and Heraldry Bill 2006: Second Stage (12 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: Perhaps it might fit. The State should not get too involved in formalising this area. The current arms-length relationship through the National Library is probably appropriate. I fully endorse what Senator Ó Murchú said about family research. I do not want to belittle it in any way but for many older people tracing ancestors is an absorbing hobby. I have an Australian cousin who has...

Seanad: Genealogy and Heraldry Bill 2006: Second Stage (12 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: It is not just that tradition which is celebrated.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the announcement at the weekend in response, inter alia, to calls made here that No. 16, Moore Street, is to be preserved. It was the last point of repair of the 1916 leaders and others before the surrender. I appeal to public authorities to show due sensitivity in their plans to historic properties whether because of their historical or architectural importance. I welcome the...

Seanad: Genealogy and Heraldry Bill 2006: Second Stage (12 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: An explanation of its meaning is called for, although it is not ambiguous.

Seanad: European Communities Bill 2006: Second Stage (7 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister of State and his officials, and I support this Bill. I pay a warm tribute to the work done by the Minister of State and his officials from the Taoiseach's office, the Department of Foreign Affairs and many other Departments, as well as the permanent representation in Brussels. They make a great contribution in keeping Ireland's end high in the European Union. We...

Seanad: European Communities Bill 2006: Second Stage (7 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: That is correct. As was pointed out, if one presents a Northern Ireland-denominated Bank of Ireland note in London, one will get very queer looks, too. That and the adoption of kilometres, Celsius, etc., have all helped to contribute towards a healthy and non-claustrophobic climate. Probably for the first time in our history we do not feel particularly overshadowed by our neighbour. We...

Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (7 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I also welcome the measures for the elderly in yesterday's budget, namely, the social welfare increases, the income tax exemptions and the home packages for the elderly. I have seen many instances where caring for the elderly, the very sick or the disabled at home can work very well but we cannot feel as proud of our care of the elderly as we...

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: That is a cliché.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister of State, his officials and, above all, the budget. I listened to the budget with some emotion. Perhaps emotion is not something one normally associates with——

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

Martin Mansergh: —— budgets. However, I did so with pride that we have reached this position, while remembering times past. How many European Ministers for Finance are able to simultaneously run a budget surplus, increase expenditure by 11.5%, including a record social welfare package of €1.4 billion? Perhaps in Norway or Luxembourg, but I cannot think of anywhere else. Ireland has the immense...