Results 241-260 of 10,569 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foras na Gaeilge (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Mar is eol dó, tá cúraimí na Gaeltachta agus na Gaeilge ag aistriú chuig an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, go luath. Is é an tAire, an Teachta Calleary, a bheidh freagrach as polasaí a fhorbairt faoi na ceisteanna seo. Tá mé ag súil go mbeidh an obair go léir críochnaithe go luath chun na...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Bodies (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: I do not disagree with the Deputy. The committee I have established to examine the governance of the Arts Council is being led by Professor Niamh Brennan. It includes Margaret Cullen and John McCarthy. They have all in their own right plenty of experience of examining corporate governance in other areas as well. I do not disagree with the Deputy with regard to the Department's role but I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Bodies (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: To take the last point first, it is not my intention that anybody who is legitimately doing very good work on behalf of the arts community across the country should suffer. That is not my concern here at all. My concern is the same as the Deputy's concern, that is, that if there is voted expenditure from the Oireachtas to Government Departments, it must be for the purpose that it is for. I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Television Licence Fee (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: First, I congratulate Deputy Byrne and wish her well in her role as an Opposition spokesperson. I will make it clear from the outset that there is no intention to replace the television license fee. The previous Government made a decision last July that the licence fee should be reformed and enhanced, not abolished. It is in that context that the programme for Government sets out our...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Television Licence Fee (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: The opening line of my reply made clear where the Government is on the previous Government decision but, to put it in context for the Deputy, in 2020 the total licence fee revenue was of the order of €222 million. The latest figure for 2024 is approximately €195 million. I am not sure where the Deputy thinks that money will come from in the absence of the licence fee. Does...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Television Licence Fee (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: I accept that the television licence is very important but €195 million is a fairly big hole. If Sinn Féin is now proposing I abolish it, I wonder where I will get €195 million. Should I get it from health, social welfare, housing or roads? That is a lot of money. If we are advocating for the abolition of a fee, the abolition of a charge, the reduction of a tax and that...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Bodies (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Teachta Farrelly. Go n-éirí go geal leis. I hope he has an enjoyable period of time here and I wish him the best of luck in his endeavours, along with the other Deputies across the House and the new Deputies I see around me. As Minister, I have recently brought, in quick succession, two annual reports of bodies under the aegis of my...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Irish Language (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: As the Deputy will appreciate, responsibility for the Gaeltacht and the Irish language will be transferring from my Department to Minister Calleary in the coming weeks once final transfer of functions orders are signed. The reply therefore relates to the work of my Department in its current format as the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. The support the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Tourism Industry (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Deputy will appreciate that responsibility for tourism matters will be transferring to my colleague Minister Peter Burke once the transfer of functions in finalised in the coming weeks. However, I can say, as set out in the Programme for Government that this Government is committed to growing Ireland's tourism industry. Through support for Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, we...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Policy (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Under the Arts Act 2003, the Arts Council is tasked with stimulating public interest, promoting the practice and improving standards in the arts, including music. As part of this statutory remit, I am happy to confirm to the Deputy that, in 2023, the Arts Council published "Advancing Music – Music Policy and Strategy" and an accompanying Implementation Plan. The purpose of...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Social Media (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: There is now a significant body of legislation providing the foundation for Ireland’s online safety framework, including the regulation of social media. Coimisiún na Meán, as Ireland’s new online safety and media regulator, is at the heart of that framework. It was established under the Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Act, one of three main elements of...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Tugadh feidhm d’fhorálacha deiridh d'Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú) 2021 ar an 21 Nollaig 2024. Dá bhrí sin tá an tAcht iomlán i bhfeidhm anois agus níl an dlí á sharú. Dar ndóigh, de réir mar a tugadh feidhm d’fhorálacha an Achta, rinneadh an Príomh-Acht – Acht na dTeangacha...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Foras na Gaeilge (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Tuigim go mbaineann an cheist leis an maoiniú a chuirtear ar fáil do Fhoras na Gaeilge. Is áisínteacht thuaidh-theas é Foras na Gaeilge a bunaíodh faoin Acht um Chomhaontú na Breataine-na hÉireann, 1999. Is í an Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh Theas (CATT) a cheadaíonn buiséid an Fhorais. Cuireann mo Roinn seachtó cúig faoin...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Film Industry (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: I was saddened to hear about the closure of the Pálás cinema in Galway at the end of last month, especially as Galway is a UNESCO city of film having been so designated in 2014. As such it is one of only 26 UNESCO cities of film in the world and is the only one in Ireland. Pálás Cinema has been in operation in the Latin Quarter in the heart of Galway City Centre for...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Broadcasting Sector (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: The designation of major sporting and cultural events for free to air broadcasting is a statutory process provided for under the Broadcasting Act, with the criteria for deciding events coming from the EU’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive. This allows Member States to designate certain events as being of major importance to society and provide that those events continue to be...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Gaeltacht Policy (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Faoin gClár Rialtais tá sé ráite go leanfaidh an Rialtas ar aghaidh ag tabhairt tacaíochta do líonra na n-oifigí poist le maoiniú chun a chinntiú go gtugann siad luach don phobal áitiúil. Beidh cúraimí cumarsáide ag teacht faoi mo chúram go luath nuair a dhéantar na h-ordaithe cuí. Ach ba chóir don...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Tourism Industry (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 34, 59 and 60 together. The Programme for Government features a number of commitments regarding growing Ireland's tourism industry. Through our support for Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, we want to showcase the island as a high-quality and accessible destination for both national and international visitors. Tourism Ireland is responsible...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Foras na Gaeilge (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Foras na Gaeilge is one of the agencies of the North South Language Body (NSLB), established under the British Irish Agreement Act 1999. Budgets for North South Implementation Bodies, including the North South Language Body are approved by the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) following agreement with the relevant sponsor Departments. Foras na Gaeilge is co-funded on the basis of...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Contracts (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department operates a number of controls and procedures in relation to procurement and contracts largely informed by Public Procurement Guidelines published by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) which performs a key role in helping the State to save money when buying goods and services. The purpose of these guidelines is to promote best practice and consistency of application...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (6 Mar 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department's role in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of national tourism policy and implementation of that policy is a matter for the tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, which will both soon come under the aegis of my colleague, Mr. Peter Burke TD, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, once the Tourism function has been transferred to him...