Results 20,401-20,420 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (12 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Question Nos. 442 and 443 together. A high-level coordinating group, chaired by my Department, is looking at the opportunities that may arise for Ireland, across the sports, tourism and cultural sectors, from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The group comprises representatives from Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, the Arts Council, Culture Ireland, the Irish...

Written Answers — Arts Programme: Arts Programme (13 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Culture Ireland is planning a strategic initiative in the United States in 2011 which will showcase Irish artistic excellence in partnership with significant US institutions, venues and festivals. Its objectives are to reinvest in the unique cultural relationship between Ireland and America, strengthen links with the Irish diaspora, enhance Ireland's reputation and profile as a global...

Departmental Strategy Statements (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I welcome Deputy Deenihan to this portfolio. He will bring added interest and vigour to it. My policy on the arts, culture and film sectors reflects Government policy in this area as set out in the programme for Government. This policy is to promote and strengthen the arts in all its forms, increase the profile of, access to, and participation in, culture and the arts, make the arts an...

Departmental Strategy Statements (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy is aware that it is not possible at this stage to give any commitments regarding the budget. However, the Government's commitment to the arts has been proven over the years. The Arts Council is just one method by which the Government funds the arts. This also takes place through capital funding through all the access projects nationwide, which builds on the point of ensuring the...

Departmental Strategy Statements (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I hope that throughout the country and through the education system, young people can be encouraged to write and to be creative, particularly given our history of storytelling. This history is no longer simply being linked to the cultural tradition. For example, if one takes the old Irish tradition of storytelling and links it to modern technology, one suddenly has an Oscar-winning...

Irish Sports Council (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 5 le chéile. As the Deputy is aware, my predecessor requested a report from the Irish Sports Council, ISC, on the Mary Coghlan v. Athletic Association of Ireland and Irish Sports Council High Court case. In keeping with my earlier commitment to this House, the sports council report and the transcripts of evidence are now available on my Department's...

Irish Sports Council (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The reason I published only the report of the Irish Sports Council on the website was that the council did not make any contribution to the High Court because the case was settled. Therefore, only one side of the case was presented in court, namely, that of Ms Coughlan. However, by publishing the transcripts on the website, her side of the story has been given a full airing. All of that is...

Irish Sports Council (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I cannot comment on individual cases. There has been great success at the high-performance level during the summer, not least in the sport of boxing. Responsibility falls on the Irish Sports Council to ensure, through the carding system, that we support top athletes and that there is sufficient funding for the relevant organisations. That is the council's major role and will be in the...

Irish Sports Council (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: It is not my intention to commission a report and to drag this issue on. Nor is it my intention to cause hurt or pain to anybody as would invariably arise were another report commissioned.

Irish Sports Council (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I am satisfied that both sides had their say, one in court and the other in the relevant report. I accept that we are talking about two different fora, but we have had both sides of the argument. I am concerned to ensure that proper governance and proper relationships continue to exist between the Irish Sports Council and all its member organisations.

Irish Sports Council (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: As Deputies recognise, the reason I appointed Mr. Kieran Mulvey to the position was to bring his particular skills to bear on the Irish Sports Council and on its relationship with the organisations. I think we will see new procedures put in place in that regard. I accept that Ms Coughlan's side of the story was heard, but it was heard in the court. That is why I took the decision to publish...

Irish Sports Council (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: If we got into a situation where she replied to the Irish Sports Council, then the council would have replied to her. The case was dealt with in court and a settlement was made. The interest of sport would be better served by moving on and looking to see what could be learned from the matter.

Tourism Industry (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Government's framework for economic renewal included a commitment to develop an action plan to drive export-led growth over the coming years. Accordingly, the Government's new strategy and action plan for Irish trade, tourism and investment to 2015, Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy, was drawn up by representatives from the relevant key Departments and agencies, including my...

Tourism Industry (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Tourist numbers undoubtedly declined since the introduction of the air travel tax. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the two are related.

Tourism Industry (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: A number of things impacted on the decline of tourist numbers. One is the economy in other European countries and the United States. The very poor weather at the beginning of this year impacted severely on us and then the volcano affected numbers travelling. If one throws into that mix the sterling and dollar differentials, one sees that many issues impacted on our tourist numbers. We do...

Tourism Industry (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Tourism Review Group, the tourism implementation group, the Tourism Forum, the Irish Hotels Federation and various tourism bodies have looked for this tax to be removed on the understanding that it would increase the number of passengers coming into the country. That is what the airlines are saying they would be able to do. I am quite happy to continue my discussions with the Minister...

Tourist Accommodation (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Economic circumstances are making trading conditions difficult for most businesses at present. These difficult conditions are exacerbated in the case of the hotel sector by the build up of an overcapacity in the availability of rooms in recent years. This is proving to be a complex situation to resolve and I believe that, inevitably, it will require a market-led solution over time. I had...

Tourist Accommodation (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The relationship with other banks arose during my discussions with NAMA, which has a remit to work with AIB and Bank of Ireland. However, even though it does not have the same relationship with Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank, these banks are also obliged to lend in a prudent and sustainable manner. I acknowledge that the withdrawal of Bank of Scotland is an issue of considerable concern...

Tourist Accommodation (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Hotels have to deal with a number of issues, including surplus capacity. The industry claims to have 15,000 surplus rooms. Based on our plans to attract up to 8 million tourists by 2015, we estimate a somewhat lower figure for oversupply but none the less it is an issue which will have to be addressed and banks will have to be conscious of market demands. The economic affairs Cabinet...

Performing Arts (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Hanafin: My predecessor announced a decision to set up Irish National Opera, INO, in December 2009 and appointed an interim board to undertake this task. The process of forming this new entity is a collaborative one involving my Department, the Arts Council, Opera Ireland and Opera Theatre Company, OTC. The latter is fully engaged in that process and is represented on the interim board of INO. The...