Results 20,541-20,560 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

National Aquatic Centre (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The matter of Campus and Stadium Ireland Limited and Dublin Waterworld Limited came before the Supreme Court in November 2009, and the judgment of the court was issued on 30 April 2010. In a further hearing on 11 May, the Supreme Court ordered, inter alia, that the costs of the High Court and Supreme Court hearings be awarded to Dublin Waterworld Limited. The level of such costs has yet to...

National Aquatic Centre (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: No agreement has been reached in regard to the costs. I know the sports campus has been in contact with its legal advisers but they are not able to predict what the cost claim is likely to be at this stage. If agreement is not reached on that, it obviously will be referred to the Taxing Master. There is obviously correspondence between the legal advisers on both sides. Whatever that...

National Aquatic Centre (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: A number of issues were raised by Dublin Waterworld Limited which has been in contact with me and with all Deputies present in the Chamber. As this case has been before the courts, including the Supreme Court where it was determined upon, I do not think it appropriate to reopen all the issues which precede my time in this position. However, I have replied to Dublin Waterworld Limited on the...

National Aquatic Centre (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I reiterate I will not reopen issues determined by the Supreme Court. This case went to the High Court and the Supreme Court and was returned to the Supreme Court in regard to costings. I do not think it is appropriate to discuss it again because a final decision has been made. It preceded my time and relates to 2004.

Departmental Staff (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: A total of 154 staff are currently working in my Department. Of this figure, 44 staff are working in the National Archives which is part of my Department and a further 30 work in the divisions with responsibility for arts, culture and the film sectors. In 2010, these divisions manage a budget of €153 million and undertake functions in regard to ongoing policy formation, financial...

Departmental Staff (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I would be interested to hear from the Deputy exactly which of the quangos in my Department she feels should be removed. When we talk about any one of them on an individual basis all of us can appreciate the value of what they do. The Arts Council does what it does as does the Irish Film Board. For its size the Irish Film Board generates enormous interest in film in this country and brings...

Departmental Staff (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: We are going over the point again but in reality there are only the two agencies. There are sensitivities given that one agency is a North-South body which has the international remit to market Ireland as an island. There is a great deal to be said for being able to go to the United States and promote Ireland as an island at peace which can attract tourists. There are particular...

Departmental Staff (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: We are finalising that strategy at present. With all the IT industries we have in the country, coupled to our imagination and the traditions we have of storytelling, art, drawing and creativity, there can be a very successful industry. There is great potential for it and that is why we are working on that strategy.

Tourism Industry (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware of the difficulties that many hotels, restaurants and other tourism businesses face in meeting the cost of local authority charges and have written to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government regarding these costs. The issue has also been discussed and considered at the Cabinet Committee on Economic Renewal, of which I and the Minister for Environment,...

Tourism Industry (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I accept it is an important issue and that is why we have put into the plan that we will expedite the revaluation of the whole country. It is quite a heavy burden, particularly on hotels. Where revaluation has taken place hotels' rates have been reduced. I understand rates account for nearly 7.6% of the operating costs for hotels whereas for other retailers it is between 1% and 4%. It...

Tourism Industry (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: That is one issue hotels have raised with me. In other cases, many of them shut down bedrooms and keep a bar open. There are various ways of operating. If there was a more up to date and equitable revaluation then it would be within their power to be able to pay because they would be able to see it was fair. Another issue to which I referred briefly in my answer is that all of the burden...

Tourism Industry (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will know I met NAMA and senior officials in my Department and from Fáilte Ireland to discuss the issue of hotels generally. They have assured me that they are not in the business of propping up hotels, but at the same time they have to take an economic valuation to ensure there is not a fire sale because that would not be in the best interests of the industry. They are very...

Tourism Industry (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: As I informed the House previously, I received a number of representations from the car rental industry throughout 2010 seeking support on the basis that it was required to provide additional car hire capacity for tourists. The matter was also raised with me at meetings with other tourism interests in the early part of the year. The concerns expressed to me related mainly to the...

Tourism Industry (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I accept that over the next few years with the aim to increase tourism there will obviously be increased demand. It is interesting that the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, of which the Car Rental Council is a member, did not look for support for the car rental sector for next year in the budget. It did last year.

Tourism Industry (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The car rental industry should look to see what works well in other countries. I accept car hire is an important part of the rural tourism trade. It is the means people use to get around the country. When the industry looked to have the scrappage scheme extended, the Department of Finance was anxious not to do so because by extending it to used cars, which is effectively what the rental...

London 2012 Olympics (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, a high-level co-ordinating group, chaired by my Department, is identifying the opportunities that may arise for Ireland across the sports, tourism and cultural sectors from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The group was established in November 2009 and has met five times to date. The sixth meeting of the group is scheduled to take place before the end of...

London 2012 Olympics (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I suspect the Deputy might be surprised. What was interesting was that a nation such as the United States would choose the National Aquatic Centre and state it was one of the best facilities it had seen anywhere in the world. We have been very quick to knock and condemn it and yet the United States acknowledged it was one of the best facilities available. I suspect there will be a huge...

London 2012 Olympics (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: It depends on the sport. Where we have top class facilities, people are using them. I am aware that the athletes all have to travel and participate in training camps abroad because we do not have the facilities. The facilities have not yet been developed in the Campus and Stadium Ireland.

London 2012 Olympics (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: We would not aim to attract those athletes but perhaps individual sports. Our boxers are perhaps our best prospect for medals in the Olympics. Of the 24 Olympic medals we have, I believe boxing accounts for 12 of them. The boxers are all training in Ireland. It depends on the sport.

London 2012 Olympics (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: As they say, res ipsa loquitur.