Results 321-340 of 9,950 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Swimming Pools (25 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Community Sport Facilities Fund (fomerly the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme, SCEP) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). Earlier this year, Minister Martin and I announced funding of up to €120 million under the new 2024 round of the LSSIF, which closed for applications on 1 July...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (24 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The application period for the 2024 Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund [LSSIF] Programme closed on 1 July 2024 and the terms and conditions of the LSSIF made it clear that no late applications could be accepted. By that date 96 applications were submitted by Local Authorities and/or National Governing Bodies of Sport and valid applications are now being assessed by my officials. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Irish Language (24 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: As the Deputy is aware, the annual Budget and Estimates process provides each Department with the opportunity to seek funds to meet its spending obligations and policy priorities. Accordingly, as Minister of State with responsibility for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht, I am engaging closely with the 2025 Budgetary process on behalf of the sectors for which I have responsibility in...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of the Ardmore-Dungarvan route. For the sake of the written record, I will leave out the first number of paragraphs of the script, as they describe the school bus scheme in some detail and may not be of major relevance. I will discuss the school transport 2030 report, which was published this year and is the largest review of the school transport...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: There has been an increase in the number of tickets issued this year, with more than 140,000 issued. The numbers travelling on our bus services have increased significantly over the past number of years, at 38% over a five-year period. As the Deputy and I have both highlighted, Bus Éireann is currently assessing the route and will continue to ensure the safety, and must ensure the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Control of Dogs (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I want to thank the Deputies for raising this serious matter on the upcoming regulation on what are called the XL bully-type dogs, which I think are recognised in some countries as a breed, and in others may not be. That will come into effect on 1 October. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, announced a ban on the XL bully dogs in the interest of public safety and human safety following...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Control of Dogs (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The Government recognises that some people may not agree with the decision, and I also note that the Deputies are coming at this from different perspectives. Both of them have raised reasonable issues and I have no doubt about that. To reply to Deputy Andrews, the reality is that these dogs have only been bred in the last number of decades. They are not as ancient as the Irish...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Control of Dogs (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I am not sure we-----

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Control of Dogs (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I am not sure we should compare an XL bully to the ancient Irish wolfhound, which has been a breed of dog in this country for centuries.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Control of Dogs (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: There are public safety issues here, and we need to be aligned with our nearest neighbours. We have little choice but to address this with regulation. On the reasonable point that Deputy Hourigan raised, the Department of Rural and Community Development is in discussions with the Department of agriculture in relation to the proposed transfer of the local authority veterinary service to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Control of Dogs (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: -----and have led to deaths in a number of instances.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I assure the Deputy that the Minister for Transport and I recognise that transport connectivity is hugely important for people who live and work in Ireland. What happened is unfortunate and it is not acceptable. There have been some improvements since the timetable changes on 16 September and I have listened to what the Deputy said. With regard to the restrictions between Drogheda and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Deputy Duncan Smith for raising this topic. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. Deputy Smith is right; quite a number of my constituents who use Laytown, Drogheda, Stamullen and Gormanston stations are affected by this. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I thank everyone who has been in touch. Most Deputies have been in touch about particular clubs in their areas. We will satisfy the demand under the community sports facilities fund, which is what we are now calling the sports capital programme. Most clubs will be very satisfied with that. As for large-scale projects – and I will get the figures at some point for Deputy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pleanáil Teanga (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Tá súil agam go mbeidh sé seo foilsithe go gairid agus tá mé ag súil leis. Caithfidh mé a rá arís nach bhfuil aon tionchar polaitiúil air seo. Tá sé go hiomlán neamhspleách. Caithfidh muid fanacht air. Tógann na rudaí seo píosa ama. Ní féidir iad a dhéanamh faoi dheifir, agus tá mise...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 30 and 37 together. The Department operates two capital programmes for sport, namely, the community sports facilities fund, which is the new name for the sports capital and equipment programme, and the large-scale sport infrastructure fund. The National Sports Policy 2018-2027, published by the Government, provided for the establishment of a new...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I will not because there is not a whole lot more to say about this that I have not said already. I can follow up on the supplementary questions.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: As regards Deputy O'Sullivan's point on the appeals, there is an appeals process for disappointed clubs. Every valid application will get a grant. There may be some which are marked invalid, and they will have the chance to appeal that. That will be announced at the time we make the launch. As regards Deputy Boyd Barrett's point, disadvantaged areas are prioritised in this programme....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Last year, I launched the Her Moves campaign to support, motivate and encourage teenage girls to be active. The Her Moves branding, including certain criteria around programme design, is now being used by organisations when rolling out physical activity programmes that target teenage girls. We have also taken a number of other initiatives. Under the community sports facilities fund,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister informs me that on the arts side of the Department, a safety programme is being established along the lines of what the Deputy spoke about in terms of ensuring women and girls feel safe in sports settings. That will be rolled out in a number of venues, including sports clubs. On the sports side, the sports organisations, in fairness, have come a long way. There is still a...