Results 4,401-4,420 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Second Stage. (25 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: That is not the case.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (25 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: There are demographic factors.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: In the context of Senator John Paul Phelan's request for a debate on the economy, I renew my request for a debate on the social partnership agreement in the course of which we could deal with matters such as inflation which is not expected to rise this year. It has been slowly, perhaps much too slowly, declining since 2000 and heading down towards a rate of 4% or less. One month's figures...

Seanad: Foreign Conflicts: Motion. (21 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: What about central and eastern Europe?

Seanad: Foreign Conflicts: Motion. (21 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: It took a little more than that.

Seanad: Foreign Conflicts: Motion. (21 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister and his officials to the House. I congratulate the Minister on his excellent speech with its strong emphasis on the humanitarian aspect. It was a fine contribution to the debate. I deeply regret the outbreak of war in Iraq and the failure of international diplomacy. I hope the war will finish quickly with a minimum of casualties on all sides and that the international...

Seanad: Foreign Conflicts: Motion. (21 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Argument about Irish interests are misunderstood. I agree with the IDA that decisions to invest in Ireland will not be influenced by the Government decision for or against the use of Shannon. What would be affected is the attitude of the US Administration and Congress which put themselves out for Ireland in the late 1980s over emigration and in the 1990s over the peace process, way beyond any...

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: It can still be relevant tomorrow.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: On a point of clarification, can one speak once on each amendment or once overall?

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I warmly welcome the Minister to the House for Report Stage. This is what might be called a wrecking amendment. The Bill could not be called anything else given that it is related to previous legislation.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: That is what Mrs. Thatcher said.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I was just correcting the attribution.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I wish to make a general comment on the debate so far. It would help the debate, once the preliminaries are over, if we concentrate on the merits or otherwise of each of the amendments rather than going around the houses on every particular issue. I intend to approach this debate in a rational and reasonable manner. These amendments appear to be quite reasonable technical amendments, but the...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: As a recent member of the tax strategy group, I welcome the Minister's announcement. They help inform public opinion and economic analysis. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: The amendment adds more bureaucracy to the system. As I said last week, freedom of information requests are dealt with by the sections to which they relate. I cannot see the value of what is being proposed. I am saying this as somebody who, when I was a civil servant, was on the circulation list of Iris Oifigiúil, which normally consisted of one person – me.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I have had great difficulty, including with the benefit of the commissioner's report, in following this argument about the difference between the words "contain" and "relate to". I am not convinced there is an enormous difference between them or any difference at all. Both require some interpretation in individual instances. I find it difficult to agree that a substantial change is being proposed.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I support what Senator White has said. When the State imposes fees, there is usually provision for them to be waived or reduced for those in various categories not in a position to afford them. I would also include students of journalism among those categories. I agree with the Senator. I see no reason whatsoever mainstream journalistic organisations should not pay such fees. They are...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Not full whack.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: In defence of the Minister, he indicated in response to points Senator White and I made that he was willing to consider, perhaps by regulation rather than by amendment, reduced charges for certain categories. He has taken account of the debate in this regard. I agree that this section is at the heart of the Bill. It involves reconciling the freedom of the deliberative process in government...