Results 741-760 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: When I referred to fringe grey areas, I was not in the least referring to Anglo Irish Bank. It is quite clear they are not public servants and there is no grey area there whatsoever. The allegation was made that Fianna Fáil is a developers' political party. We are a political party for all the people. The point needs to be made that, notwithstanding the gross excesses there have been,...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I will put the point raised by Deputy O'Donnell in respect of paragraph (g)(ii) beyond all doubt or ambiguity. We have not yet come to those amendments which would clearly clarify the position of the public service bodies to which pay reductions will apply.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: Given the definition is that used in the legislation on the pension levy, it is the case that persons employed by those bodies will be affected by the reduction. Again, if anomalies arise - I have said this several times already today - they can be dealt with under the powers of the Minister. The position of the National Treasury Management Agency under this legislation was always clear....

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I accept I did not deal with that question. The voluntary waiver system with regard to the pension levy was set up not merely by consultation, but by agreement between the Chief Justice and the head of the Revenue Commissioners.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I replied to that question.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I will repeat the exact reply I gave and will not deviate from it. If the Government's amendments-----

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: -----are passed it will apply to persons employed by bodies with a public service pension scheme. I said the application of pension levy is by rule of thumb and there may be individuals in an anomalous position. If so, they can be considered under the Minister's various powers under the Bill and it is just and equitable to do so.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: That is a reply to Deputy Rabbitte's question.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: As stated previously, the Judiciary and any other such category is being given an opportunity to contribute under the Finance Bill and that will achieve precisely the same end as Deputy Burton's amendment. With regard to what the Minister of State said, I added an amplification to that, not a contradiction of what he said.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: Can the Deputy please hear me out?

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I amplified the remarks of the Minister of State, Deputy Carey.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I did not contradict them. I added to the reference to rule of thumb that there may be individuals in an anomalous position. If so, they can be considered under the Minister's various powers under the Bill and it is just and equitable to do so.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: As far as the constitutional issue is concerned, it is not entirely the case, and Deputy Shatter would know this better than anybody, that the Government always rejects legislative proposals from the Opposition. The fine separation Bill in 1988-----

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I do not believe that is the only Bill that originated with the Deputy that ended up on the Statute Book.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I will not presume or pre-empt what the Government's attitude would be, and sometimes when a Bill is rejected it is because the Government is promising to bring forward a Bill of its own-----

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: -----dealing with the same subject but perhaps in a slightly different way. With regard to the question of consultation, I fully agree with what Deputy Shatter said about considerations of appropriateness having to be taken into consideration. What happened in the case of the pension levy was that the Chief Justice approached the Revenue Commissioners to devise a system whereby the Judiciary...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I have nothing to add to what I have already said.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I have listened with respect to what has been an important and substantive debate, particularly to the views of Deputy Shatter, who has a reputation as a legal and constitutional expert, and to those of other Members, including one or two with a legal background. Contrary to what was insinuated at the beginning, and at the risk of my falling into what the Taoiseach calls the trap of denial, I...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: Otherwise, my ambition is to avoid appearing before judges. I have only twice appeared before a judge, one a German judge and the other an Irish judge, and I did so as a consular official. Judges are well paid as a means of guaranteeing their independence. Over the years, a factor has been the money it is possible to earn at the bar. In the context of tribunals and in other contexts, this...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2009)

Martin Mansergh: I listened in total silence to many contributions. Can I finish mine, after which the Deputy may comment?