Results 1,181-1,200 of 9,894 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sport and Recreational Development (22 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I recognise the importance of sport and physical activity for our society and the need to ensure that opportunities are in place to allow all members of society to participate in sport. Sport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, including the promotion of sports participation. Sport Ireland provides funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sports Events (22 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Ireland has consistently demonstrated an ambition to attract major international sports events that can make a positive return to the country. This is most recently evidenced by the Government’s decision to support the submission of a preliminary bid by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), with the UK football associations, for the right to host the UEFA Euro 2028 championships...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79, 84, 86, 91 and 94 together. I thank all Deputies who have raised this issue, and I know Sinn Féin tabled a question on this earlier. On the previous question, a Sinn Féin Deputy was looking for the scheme to be abolished, although, in fairness, he had other proposals so I am not going to entirely disrespect that. Nonetheless, we are not...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I am very glad Deputy O'Connor has added his voice to the pressure that is now on energy companies to reduce their prices. Energy prices went up in an understandable way because of the Russian war on Ukraine. The Government has responded to this through supports for sports organisations and for households. People should not forget that we have also introduced windfall measures through the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: As part of budget 2023, a funding package of €35 million was made available to help alleviate the impact of increased energy costs for sports clubs and organisations, with a view to ensuring that everybody could continue to enjoy the benefits of sport and physical activity over the winter months. In doing so, the Government acknowledged that increased energy costs are a major concern...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputy. I agree with him about volunteer numbers and participation rates. We are concerned about volunteer participation. The Government cannot mandate people to volunteer or make a law to make people volunteer but we can create the environment to ensure volunteers and clubs are supported in the best possible way. That can happen through the sports capital programme and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I know.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: It is welcome that more people are not just participating in women's sport, but also supporting it, which is important. I saw that myself in Páirc Tailteann recently when there was a men's match and a women's match one after the other, with similar crowds. That would not have been the case previously. I have a personal commitment to this through my family. I know someone who...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Facilities (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputy for his ongoing support and representations on the football centre of excellence for Munster in Glanmire. The work he has done as a councillor and in the Dáil has been important to the project. The large scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF, was launched in 2018 to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects, with at least €100 million...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Facilities (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I would be more than happy to attend any meeting on this matter. The Government has allocated more than €2 million to this project, and that money is still there. I understand the issues the Deputy has raised and his commitment to the project. This weekend, I will be attending the President's Cup match in ladies soccer. I am sure I will bump into officials from the FAI at that. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Facilities (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I do not have to hand the figures on the percentage of the fund that has been drawn down, but I can think of one project in my constituency where part of it is almost complete. Regarding phase 1, the original cost estimate was €3,858,473 and the Government awarded €2,025,699, so by any standard, the Government grant was a significant allocation towards the original cost...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 109 together. Addressing the participation of women and girls in sport and physical activity is an important element of national sports policy and is a core priority for me and the Minister. Along with Sport Ireland, we will continue to promote and encourage greater participation in sport by women and girls. The Government has provided a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The Deputy raised the issue of Anaïs O'Donovan previously and I know that Sport Ireland is aware of her situation. I certainly will get back in contact with the agency on that case. It takes responsibility for managing that funding. Just to be clear, I do not think there is any discrimination there in terms of gender but it is related to the particular sport in which I understand she...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: We did not receive notification.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I apologise. I was not anticipating the swap. I thought I was No. 4. I thank the Deputy for bearing with me. I know the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, has already given an initial reply. As the Deputy knows, the sports capital and equipment programme is the main vehicle for the development of sports and recreation facilities. More than €1.15 billion has been spent on that...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: We will be in a position to do that in due course. I came into the Department just before Christmas. The review was under way. We provided some input into it and the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, has done the same. It will mean that the sports capital programme will be better. There was no specific allocation when we opened the programme the last time. The decision was made during...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Events (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: On 10 February 2023, I participated in a video call with representatives from 24 other countries from across Europe, North America and Asia, organised by the UK Government, to discuss the issue of Russian and Belarussian athletes in international sport competitions. This call was specifically arranged in response to the International Olympic Committee's statement of 25 January 2023, in which...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Olympic Games (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: On 10 February 2023, I participated in a video call with representatives from 24 other countries from across Europe, North America and Asia, organised by the UK Government, to discuss the issue of Russian and Belarussian athletes in international sport competitions. This call was specifically arranged in response to the International Olympic Committee's statement of 25 January 2023 in which...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sport and Recreational Development (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 105 together. 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’. It will be suited to...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Olympic Games (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: On 10 February 2023, I participated in a video call with representatives from 24 other countries from across Europe, North America and Asia, organised by the UK Government, to discuss the issue of Russian and Belarussian athletes in international sport competitions. This call was specifically arranged in response to the International Olympic Committee’s statement of 25 January 2023,...