Results 23,061-23,080 of 26,272 for speaker:Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Programme for Government Priorities (17 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 793. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide in tabular format the commitments under the programme for Government for which his Department is responsible; the progress made to date with regard to each commitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32390/14]

Order of Business (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: The legislation promoted by the Government in respect of the property tax provided an option for local authorities to vary the tax up or down by 15%. However, the statutory instrument to which my colleague, Deputy Cowen, referred was published on 5 February without fanfare. It was not even accompanied by the usual press release. The effect of the statutory instrument is to make it...

Order of Business (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Was it the intention that the property tax should not be varied this year, as provided for in the legislation initially adopted?

Other Questions: Commemorative Events (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Would the Minister be prepared in the very near future to have an informal engagement with each of the spokespersons about the commemoration ceremonies? There has been much public interest in the suggestion that the British royal family may have particular involvement in the 1916 Rising commemoration. Does the Minister have views on that or does she envisage taking any particular initiative...

Other Questions: Commemorative Events (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Is it the Minister's view that the British royal family should be represented at the 1916 commemorations? Has the Government taken a view and will the Minister make a particular proposal to the Government in that regard?

Other Questions: Departmental Strategies (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 11. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will set out the priorities of her Department for the coming 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31212/14]

Other Questions: Departmental Strategies (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: It would be presumptuous of me to ask the Minister to set out her priorities for the next 12 months given that she has just taken office but it would be useful for the House to get a sense at this early stage of her personal priorities for the period ahead and what she regards as the key areas of arts and heritage with which she would like to be identified in the coming years.

Other Questions: Departmental Strategies (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I welcome what the Minister has said and cannot disagree with the majority of the priorities set out. However, as Deputy Tóibín and others have pointed out, there is growing public concern about the Government's commitment to Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge. There is real concern that the Government has no enthusiasm for implementing the strategy and many aspects are falling...

Other Questions: Commemorative Events (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 12. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide a preliminary timetable of the planned commemorations for the 1916 Rising; if she will provide an update on the Moore Street interpretive centre and the proposed museum at the GPO; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31214/14]

Other Questions: Commemorative Events (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: The question is self-explanatory. Deputy McLellan referred earlier to similar matters. It would be useful to have a timetable for commemorations, not least for the 1916 Rising. The Minister referred to Moore Street. Perhaps she will also speak about the proposed museum at the GPO.

Other Questions: Arts Council Funding (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 9. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on the current functioning of the Arts Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31215/14]

Other Questions: Arts Council Funding (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: The Arts Council has given the country great service over 50 years. It is substantially funded to support artists and arts organisations and it advises the Government on arts policy. Sadly, there has been some recent controversy over a possible conflict of interest within the council. Can the Minister outline her views on the functioning of the council?

Other Questions: Arts Council Funding (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: The Arts Council is no different from any other body spending substantial amounts of public money. At this point, the public needs reassurance. I suspect it will be forthcoming but a review by the Arts Council of its own procedures is certainly not adequate. External analysis of what has occurred within the council is essential because of the importance of transparency and accountability...

Other Questions: Arts Council Funding (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I accept the Minister's response and I realise she is new in her position. It will be very interesting to hear her feedback on her engagement with the Arts Council. It is important where substantial sums of public money are involved that the agencies charged with its dispersal be challenged to ensure their procedures are always transparent and that there is always public accountability. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Quesitons: National Monuments (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I take the Minister's reply as positive. Those involved in the campaign include the retired Chief of Staff, Major General Vincent Savino, Malachi O'Gallagher and others who have contributed enormously to the development of the concept. Is the Minister prepared to meet the people behind the initiative? Their enthusiasm for the project, the value of which is beyond question, is infectious....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Quesitons: National Monuments (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 4. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will support the locating of an Irish UN veterans monument in the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Dublin 7; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31284/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Quesitons: National Monuments (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing this question and congratulate the Minister on her appointment. She comes with a reputation for ability, sincerity and hard work and I look forward to working with her. We should remember the previous Minister, Deputy Deenihan, whose commitment and hard work made him a pleasure to work with. Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a ghabháil chomh maith...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Quesitons: National Monuments (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I thank the Minister for her response, although it was a little disappointing. The Irish international contribution to peacekeeping has extraordinarily involved approximately 7 million person days and 61,000 tours of duty in 72 UN-mandated missions. It is a major aspect of our foreign policy. Given the decade of commemorations, this is something that needs to be commemorated. It is not...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Ministerial Meetings (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 13. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of times she has met her Northern counterpart this year; the total funding her Department has directed to the North-South bodies in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31216/14]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Monuments (16 Jul 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 19. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on supporting the commissioning of a monument for Irish UN veterans in Collins Barracks, Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31213/14]