Results 1,181-1,200 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (1 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I will ensure the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, is made aware of the specific points the Senator raised. She has visited a large number of special schools and special classes since she took office and has seen the excellent work done for and with students. I have no doubt she would be more than happy to visit the Senator's area and the school in question. There are challenges and the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (1 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The situation is that there was much discussion about this issue, with parents being on to all of us last year. I was engaging with the board of management at that time, and with Department officials as well. On 2 September 2022, an agreement was completed regarding this project happening. The school was then told to go about doing it. It did that and appointed a design team to do the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (1 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Leas-Cheann Chomhairle. I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague in the Department of Education, the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, who is not available. I thank Deputy O'Rourke for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the Dáil the current position in respect of the accommodation needs of Ratoath Junior National School, in...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Organisations (31 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I attended the All Ireland Senior Club Championship finals in Croke Park on Sunday 22 January 2023 and met the Director General of the GAA at that event. I had an introductory meeting with the President of the GAA on Wednesday 25 January 2023.

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (31 Jan 2023)

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 (31 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: As the stadium referred to by the Deputy is owned by Dublin City Council, any decision on the future redevelopment of the ground is a matter for the Council in the first instance. My Department has not been engaged in any negotiations between the clubs involved. In terms of my role, my Department provides capital grant assistance for sporting facilities through the Sports Capital and...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (31 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: In relation to capital support, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Organisations (31 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Sport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, increasing participation at all levels and raising standards. This includes the allocation of funding to the National Governing Bodies of sport across its various programmes. I have referred the Deputy's question to Sport Ireland for direct reply in relation to the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Strategies (31 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Both the National Sports Policy 2018 -2027 and the Sports Action Plan 2021-2023commit to the development and implementation of a National Swimming Strategy. The Strategy will be the first of its kind in Ireland and will be based on a vision to ‘provide everyone in Ireland with an opportunity to swim’. The Working Group tasked with the detailed work of preparing the strategy is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh na páistí atá anseo ó Scoil Mobhí i nGlas Naíon. Tá fáilte rompu isteach sa Dáil inniu. I was talking about my wife playing sport. Coincidentally, she used to play Gaelic in Na Fianna, next door to our visitors. That is a complete coincidence. The Deputy raised important questions. I, the Minister and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I do not reject a sports facility strategy; I rejected Deputy Andrews's proposal to move away from a sports capital programme.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: What he said about the Minister of State's constituency is not true. Every constituency did better in the last sports capital allocation.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The Government is committed to doing that with priority for inclusion and disadvantage and we will continue with that. Regarding Deputy Carey's point, discussions are ongoing. Massive ambition has been shown by voluntary clubs throughout the country. These are not professional clubs, as Sinn Féin has alleged. Voluntary clubs in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of cities and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputy for this highly relevant question. This is a very exciting time for women's football in Ireland. I recently attended the soccer writers' awards night at which Vera Pauw spoke. The sense of sheer excitement and pride, which came from her and was shared around the room, will be reflected throughout the country as we build up to the World Cup and our women take part in it....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: There is no doubt but that there will be a massive increase. Apart from the great pride and everybody cheering our women on, it will lead to more people getting involved and more pressure on facilities. As part of the sports capital programme, funding will be geared to ensuring we have inclusion and increased participation at all levels, including among women and girls. As I mentioned in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 31, 39, 51, 54, 73 and 75 together. As the Deputies are aware, 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 benefited from sports capital funding...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I completely reject the Sinn Féin proposal to move away from the sports capital programme. We will not do that. We will stick with it and we will be prioritising disadvantaged areas. That is what we are doing and that is what the sports capital programme has always done. Areas of disadvantage are awarded higher marks under the scheme. There will be a transparent marking scheme and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: They are also in Kildare. I am addressing the areas where Deputies spoke on this particular question but it is important in every county. We want to help the national governing bodies to help the sporting bodies in the areas and that includes all of them. I have had discussions with some of the national governing bodies on that as well.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Gender Balance (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Addressing women's participation at all levels in sport is an important element of the national sports policy and a core priority for me, the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, and the Government as a whole. That includes women in leadership positions such as board members of national governing bodies, NGBs. The sports action plan sets a target for all NGBs to achieve 40% gender...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Gender Balance (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The Deputy is absolutely correct. I want to be clear to all the national governing bodies, including the big national governing bodies that, to be fair, are doing a lot for sport and women in sport. To be clear, the grant funding to those organisations is now closely aligned to our key policies, one of which is the achievement of 40% gender balance with female representation on the boards...