Results 20,101-20,120 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Tourism Industry. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Tourism is an essential part of North-South co-operation which is why we are able to market Ireland as the island of Ireland. My ministerial counterpart in the North, Arlene Foster, has a keen interest in this and I look forward to working with her. I note Aosdána will hold its first meeting in Northern Ireland soon. There is great potential for further co-operation on a North-South...

Irish Sports Council. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 69 together. The Irish Sports Council , ISC, funded by my Department, is the statutory body responsible for the promotion, development and co-ordination of sport which includes responsibility for dealing with the recognised sporting organisations and allocation of funding to same. The ISC was established on a statutory basis on 1 July 1999 and its...

Irish Sports Council. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I accept it is taxpayers' money. Deputy Mitchell tossed out a figure of €1 million but nowhere was that figure mentioned - certainly not of that scale. Irrespective of the sum, it is taxpayers' money and one must be accountable for it. The report was sought on 15 March so I am not surprised it has not yet been presented to me. When it is, I will carefully consider it and I will then...

Irish Sports Council. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Just Sport Ireland is new to me but I am quite impressed by what it aims to do and the low level of awards granted as a result of mediation it is involved in. I understand that body has been working with national governing bodies to ensure a provision for arbitration is included in rules and regulations as a matter of course. Some 18 organisations have included the provision and it is a...

Irish Sports Council. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: It is important to say that I understand the court case was strictly without admission of liability. As such it will not be possible as a result of any report in regard to the handling of the case to ascertain whether any person should be sanctioned or penalised in any way. The outcome of the case stands. What is important is that we learn how we can avoid this happening in the future. I...

Irish Sports Council. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: What we want is a report that will provide guidance in terms of ensuring this does not happen again. We do not need a report which will not tell us anything about the case because the settlement in that regard is confidential.

Irish Sports Council. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The exercise is more of a learning experience for Government, the Sports Council and national governing bodies. I will know more in terms of the lessons to be learned when I have received the report. I will examine the Just Sports Ireland dispute resolution and mediation mechanisms and the various other issues raised here by Members. I am open to suggestions in regard to how we can ensure...

Sport and Recreational Development. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Sport and physical activity has the potential to enrich the lives of all people and everyone of all ages and backgrounds should know that they can benefit from physical activity. The value of sport and physical activity to the nation simply cannot be over-emphasised in improving our health, in creating a sense of identity and belonging and in boosting our morale. Sedentary lifestyles are...

Sport and Recreational Development. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Perhaps the opposite is true.

Sport and Recreational Development. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I thank Deputy O'Mahony for his good wishes. He is probably one of the few people in the House who has not asked me for tickets for an all-Ireland final. He probably has access to them himself.

Sport and Recreational Development. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: He has better access. I agree wholeheartedly with everything the Deputy said. Everything points to the fact that the school years are critical. Participation in sport during the school years, for all the reasons I have mentioned, is important and also gives a lifelong interest. During my time as Minister for Education and Science I highlighted the fact that principals were telling...

Sport and Recreational Development. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I cannot disagree with the Deputy; he is correct. It is important for young people, women's participation in sport and people with disabilities. Many sports partnerships now have officers with specific responsibility for including such people. There is great potential right across the abilities, ages and sectors for people to work together and promote the idea of a healthy lifestyle, of...

Tourism Industry. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The tourism renewal group emphasised that it is essential to get costs, competitiveness and pricing right in order to compete effectively in tourism. I am glad to see many State bodies that provide services to tourists are taking this advice on board in the initiatives they are taking and in their pricing policy for 2010. For example, despite challenging financial circumstances, the Office...

Tourism Industry. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy raised three important issues. With regard to visas, people can travel from a vast number of countries without needing a visa but countries such as India and China have the potential to send many visitors to Ireland. When people travel from those countries, they tend to spend a great deal of time in the country and a great deal of money, particularly in the regions, because if...

Tourism Industry. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Free train services for tourists aged over 66 have been made available by CIE just for this year but hopefully, that will continue next year. It was introduced on the basis that trains with significant capacity are running anyway but that might not necessarily always be true, for example, of bus services.

Tourism Industry. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Social and Family Affairs pays CIE and, therefore, somebody must pay for the scheme somewhere along the way. I suspect the train scheme will be hugely successful. Let us see how it goes and reflect on its potential. With regard to integrated ticketing - again I am wearing my previous hat - the new PPS card, which will be introduced later this year, will have a photograph,...

Tourism Industry. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Shannon Airport catchment area economic and tourism development plan is designed to support the region. A preclearance facility has been approved at the airport and it can be extended to cater for other airlines. British Airways and United Airlines flights out of London stop at the airport to avail of the facility.

Tourism Industry. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: This new initiative might facilitate private jet users and so on to travel to Ireland and stay. It has great potential. I have received a request for a meeting from Shannon Development and I am happy to meet its representatives to discuss the various issues.

Tourism Industry. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I am sure the implementation of the plan will help in some regards but I am happy to sit down with the representatives of Shannon Development to discuss the potential for the area.

Cultural Promotion. (31 Mar 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The importance and impact of culture is an essential element of our identity, profile, confidence and place in the world. I am convinced, based on the information available to me on those employed and engaged in the wider arts and culture sphere, that there is tremendous potential for enhanced opportunities to transform this landscape into the future. This optimism is driven and borne out by...