Results 141-160 of 9,441 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I note that the organisation referred to by the Deputy is enquiring regarding support to compensate for lost income due to poor weather conditions. My Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (the “SCEP”) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (the “LSSIF”). The SCEP is the primary...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Events (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Before the Department and Government commits public monies to supporting the hosting of a major sports event in Ireland, a significant range of factors needs to be taken into account. These factors include the projected cost to the State, the expected economic benefits accruing to the State, and the proposed event’s capacity to contribute to wider policy objectives, such as increasing...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998 bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998 bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: In March, Minister Catherine Martin and I announced a record investment of almost €30 million in core funding support to sporting organisations, through Sport Ireland, for 2024. This funding will ensure that sporting organisations can continue to provide valuable opportunities for everyone to participate in sport. Investment in the network of Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) has...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Gaeltacht Policy (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: In the context of my Department’s role in coordinating the implementation of the Government’s Action Plan for the Irish Language (Plean Gníomhaíochta 2018-2022), the fourth annual progress report on its ongoing implementation on behalf of Government was published in December 2023. The plan itself was first published in 2018 in order to accelerate and better...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Irish Language (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: My Department is committed to promoting and supporting the Irish language outside of the Gaeltacht. In this context, a fund known as ‘Scéimeanna Tacaíochta Gaeilge’ (‘Irish Language Support Schemes’) is in place for many years now with the aim of fostering and promoting the Irish language outside the Gaeltacht. The projects for which funding has been...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Deputy Cian O’Callaghan's amendment proposes to delete the requirement in section 258(2)(c) that environmental NGOs, who enjoy privileged status and rights of appeal within the Irish system, must have at least ten members. This criteria and others in section 258, such as the requirement to have existed for at least one year prior to the taking of judicial review, guard the system from...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I will have to leave it at what has been said already in that regard.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The threshold was set at ten, which we believe is an appropriate level. In fact, the Aarhus Convention allows a country to set a threshold and we are doing that. There are thresholds in other EU countries and at EU level that are higher. There is precedent for this. We are allowed to do it and we think it is a reasonable number and at an appropriate level.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Yes.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I do not have all of that information, but they definitely can do it. It is provided for and is allowed under the Aarhus Convention.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I cannot commit to doing that, but the Deputy can ask the Minister the question. However, there certainly has been a study done on this and we are satisfied this is a reasonable figure set at an appropriate level.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: That is determined in the environmental impact assessment that is part of the planning process.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: It is not just a company; it is a company or an undertaking incorporated under the laws of a member state that has limited liability and a constitution. Those are the criteria. It is of course similar to a company but it does not necessarily have to be a company incorporated under Irish law. It is to ensure we know they are properly established. The majority of non-governmental...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The amendment seeks to delete section 258(4)(d)(iv)(II), which requires members of an unincorporated body, such as a residents’ association, that votes to proceed with a judicial review case to provide their names and addresses to the court as part of the affidavit supplied to the court with the judicial review application. Transparency is a fundamental pillar of the planning system....

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: We are actually not. This is about unincorporated residents' associations or unincorporated bodies. In the case of the incorporated bodies the Deputy has mentioned, the names and contact details of members of their boards are publicly available information. The shareholders of those companies would be listed in the share register of the company, which again is publicly available. I...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The names of every board member are publicly available. Anyone taking a judicial review in these cases is able to apply for a contribution to costs under the financial assistance mechanism. It is reasonable to express the need to ensure there are appropriate governance arrangements, especially where money is involved.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Thomas Byrne: It is the case a board of directors has to approve a resolution in accordance with the constitution authorising the bringing of the act.