Results 3,561-3,580 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

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.

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

Martin Mansergh: A ministerial statement said that to put the scale of activity in the housing market in perspective, almost one third of the country's housing stock will have been built in the ten year period 1997 to 2004. My only criticism of that statement is that 1997 to 2004 is not ten years but local authority housing is up by 10%. I am strongly committed to overseas development aid funding, as no doubt...

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

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

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

Martin Mansergh: I move: That Seanad Éireann, —urges the Minister for Finance to continue to support a low tax regime; —accepts that since 1997 the steps taken to lower taxes have been the key to growing employment and growing Government revenue; —commends the Government for its record tax reductions which continue to have a positive impact on people's lives and the economy; —notes that since 1997...

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

Martin Mansergh: ——which is unlikely to be part of a Government, proposes as policy an increase in all sorts of taxes. However, there is a large measure of consensus that we are pursuing the correct policies. It is entirely misleading to suggest that 50% or more of taxpayers pay at the high rate because those who are exempt from tax are of course excluded from the figures. The budget booklet last year...

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

Martin Mansergh: Corporation tax has been reduced to 12.5% but there has been no decrease in taxation of businesses. The Fine Gael Party is wrong in its claims that the rainbow Government first introduced the 12.5% corporation tax rate.

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

Martin Mansergh: It was announced in May 1997 and yet took several years to be implemented. EU agreement had to be obtained and the Labour Party got cold feet about it in 2000. Members should not make claims that are not strictly justifiable.

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

Martin Mansergh: I take great pleasure in moving this motion. Whatever may be said on the other side of the House, I do not believe that either of the main Opposition parties will declare any intention of altering the current tax policy.

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

Martin Mansergh: Corporation tax.