Results 3,441-3,460 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: As far as I recall, the legislation governing the Standards in Public Office Commission was introduced under the rainbow coalition——

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: The then Minister of State, Eithne Fitzgerald, had a great deal to do with the preparation of the legislation.

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: No. I want to make the point that this legislation is designed to ensure integrity in public life and not to provide a political playing pitch.

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: We are not running away from it.

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: There could be two hours' debate on it.

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: Who is withdrawing it?

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: Mallow Castle. When suggestions are made in the House that require considerable Government investment, Members should be conscious of existing assets. I welcome the completion of the transport debate and the rail links mentioned such as Dunboyne and Shannon. However, it is forgotten that there is already a railway line to Navan from Dublin. When the Spencer Dock rail station is opened, the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: I thought Senator Coghlan would have raised the matter as to who could be making a profit from the road signs in County Kerry. It is a matter of equal distress to me that the sign on the Urlingford side of the County Tipperary border proclaiming "The Premier County — Home of Hurling", has also disappeared.

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: It would be good if the relevant Minister was invited to the House to discuss the matter.

Seanad: Overseas Development Aid: Motion. (9 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan. Today we have an ODA programme of which we can be proud. I would like us to go on making progress and do better, but we are doing well. The EU target, for example, is 0.39% of GNP by 2007 and we are already past that point. As far as promises are concerned, obviously the Opposition wishes to make a political point. However, I will do them...

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2004: Statements. (8 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: If people are saved from flooding, it will have done what it said on the tin.

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2004: Statements. (8 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: I wonder if this debate will go down in the annals of the Seanad as the "six fish debate". This is a technical Bill which we passed before Christmas. I welcome the Minister of State and his officials, and I welcome his contribution which gives an illustration of some of the worthwhile achievements that have been attained with the increases in public expenditure over the past few years. A...

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2004: Statements. (8 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: ——on Saturday on my way to address a conference in west Kerry. I travelled by train from Tipperary to Killarney because I did not want to drive the entire way to the conference and hired a car on my arrival. Travelling from Killarney to the conference and back, I drove around most of the Ring of Kerry.

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2004: Statements. (8 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: The cost of the car hire was €108, which was quite steep.

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2004: Statements. (8 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: Yes but ordinary punters and visitors do not have the benefit of special advice from Senator Coghlan. On returning home, I developed a puncture in one of the wheels on my own car.

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2004: Statements. (8 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: No, it was caused by a thorn in my driveway. I changed the wheel and took the punctured one to be repaired.

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2004: Statements. (8 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: Something like that.

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2004: Statements. (8 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: I was astonished by the bill with which I was presented for the puncture repair. It was all done very efficiently within 15 minutes and cost only €5. There may be a difference between Tipperary and Killarney as regards certain charges but perhaps Senator Coghlan might like to comment.

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2004: Statements. (8 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: A point highlighted by the ESRI is that there is a difference — I am not sure political rhetoric has caught up in this regard — between the budgets introduced in the years 2001 to 2005 and some of the Government's earlier budgets dating to 1997 and that most of the gains have been directed towards those at the lower levels in society. There has been a great deal of additional expenditure...

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2004: Statements. (8 Feb 2005)

Martin Mansergh: He said the problem is that far too many people who should be receiving primary care come to hospitals — the point can be made that primary care has not yet been developed in the way it should have been — and that, at the other end of the system, there are insufficient step-down facilities. A new health administration system is being introduced this year and it is hoped that this will...