Results 4,521-4,540 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I must disagree with that. "Relate to" is also perfectly capable of being interpreted in an extremely restrictive and minimalist fashion.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: No, about the same. Question put. Tá

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: With respect, this is an entirely reasonable section. It prevents unnecessary work by civil servants if someone, for whatever reason, decides to withdraw a request. It would be wrong if someone was pressured into withdrawing applications and ended up with less information, but one cannot provide for every informal eventuality. We must not waste too much time on this part of the Bill. I would...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I would not want another Minister to be led into temptation. In that respect, I am glad he is far away and unable to respond to the Senator's point. I hope we can get over this section as quickly as we can. We must ask ourselves what is the best use of the limited time the Seanad has to discuss this Bill. Is it best used to discuss questions of substance, or is it, to use the Senator's words,...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: To address one point made by Senator McDowell, we should operate on the assumption that public servants, according to their lights, will administer the vast majority of cases with integrity rather than on any other supposition. Senator McDowell gave the example of a budget submission containing commercially sensitive information. I find it hard to conceive of a budget submission looking for a...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Company Closures. (11 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I welcome the Minister of State. There was a deep sense of shock in Tipperary town last Thursday afternoon when the workforce, and then the population at large, were informed that in the principal factory in the town 150 out of 230 people would lose their jobs between the end of May and October. Pall Corporation was a replacement industry for Tambrands, which closed some years ago. This...

Seanad: Prison Visiting Committees: Motion. (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: The Minister absolutely welcomed the amendment.

Seanad: Prison Visiting Committees: Motion. (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: That is wishful thinking.

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Rubbish.

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: The Taoiseach never lectures.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: It is a short guillotine.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Deputy Michael Ring, perhaps.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I wish to share my time with the Leader of the House. I would be grateful if you could inform me when my 15 minutes are up.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Senator Higgins can never be accused of understating his case. His speech went out with a bang. I welcomed the Minister, and now the Minister of State, to the House. This is an important Bill and it is a compliment to the House, not an insult, that it is being taken soon after publication. I do not know how often the case is made here that we should debate matters immediately, if not the day...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: Next, there was a move to freedom of information. I recall that, on the day he was elected leader of Fianna Fáil, Mr. Albert Reynolds used a phrase about letting in the light. As an adviser to Mr. Reynolds, I recall encouraging him to make a commitment to freedom of information legislation. He did so and it was subsequently incorporated in the programme for Government of the Fianna...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: I have been there and have observed this. I know what I am talking about. The history of a country is as important to it as the contemporary record. I accept that it is the fashion to say that only newspapers and television matter, but I do not agree; considered history also matters. I do not like the aspersions cast in the House on civil servants. In that context, we may yet hear more about...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: All so relevant to today.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: The Minister of State evoked memories of the Warsaw ghetto. May I recommend to him and every other Member the wonderful film "The Pianist" on precisely that subject, which is showing in cinemas at present.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: That is interesting. I have an interest in some of the ideological elements to which the Minister of State referred. I am glad it seems to have been referred to as a constitutional treaty, rather than a constitution. I am also happy with the union of states and peoples which seems to be a very apt description of the European Union as it stands. We should not engage in a Pavlovian response to...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Martin Mansergh: They do.