Results 381-400 of 12,487 for speaker:John O'Donoghue

Abbey Theatre. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I do not understand what impact it would have on the legal position. I cannot see how it could change the situation in any way. It might indicate a preference on the part of those polled regarding where they believe the theatre should be located but it would not resolve the legal difficulties because people have property rights under the Constitution, which they have a right to pursue in the...

Tourism Industry. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: Last year, we had a record number of foreign visitors. Visitor attitude surveys continue to record a high level of satisfaction with the overall visitor experience, although there have been significant declines in satisfaction regarding value for money. The Government, the tourism agencies and the industry, by and large, have been addressing this competitiveness challenge. Actions that...

Tourism Industry. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I certainly agree with Deputy Wall that there has been a great deal of very bad publicity that has reflected poorly on the industry at large, especially over the past year or so. Shortly after I entered office, I pointed out that we had a problem with competitiveness and that we would have to address the issue. Various measures to do so have been undertaken since. We now have more special...

Performing Arts. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I presume the Deputy is referring to the Tinteán Theatre, Ballybunion, which was awarded grant support totalling €825,235 by my Department in 2001. To satisfy the conditions attaching to the grant, the promoters were required to provide evidence that the balance of the capital funding required to complete the project and bring it to operational status was available. That was done in 2002,...

Performing Arts. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I accept the facility will be of enormous benefit to the entire Ballybunion region, and I acknowledge the importance of phase 2. In doing so, I must say regarding the possibility of further funding from my Department for phase 1 that I currently do not have any more funds available that might enable me to allocate a further grant to the Tinteán project. However, I hope it will be possible in...

National Aquatic Centre. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: During the severe weather conditions experienced in the west Dublin area on New Year's Day 2005, damage was caused to the National Aquatic Centre at Abbotstown. The roof of the 50 metre pool and diving pool and the roof of the leisure water area were both damaged and, in addition, damage occurred to lights and fittings around the complex. This has resulted in the National Aquatic Centre being...

National Aquatic Centre. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I am not aware of any issue regarding compensating underbidders. With regard to the actual repairs to the facility, CSID's first priority was to make the building safe and that work, together with the weather proofing, was undertaken straight away. At that point Kavanagh Mansfield & Partners, Consulting Structural and Civil Engineers, were commissioned to provide an independent report to...

National Aquatic Centre. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I reiterate that I want to see the National Aquatic Centre reopen at the earliest possible date. Although I fully understand the frustration of the staff and the general public, including members of facility clubs, at the continued closure of the centre, the alternative scenario, that of opening the centre while there was a risk to people using the facilities, is not an option that anybody...

Tourism Industry. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: The importance of tourism as an instrument of national and regional development has been recognised by the Government for a long time. The need to achieve as wide as possible a distribution of visitor numbers throughout the regions, with an associated spread of tourism revenue, is similarly recognised as a major objective and challenge in tourism policy. Various factors have conspired to...

Tourism Industry. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: It is obvious that tourism is treated extremely seriously by the Government. As this country's largest international indigenous service industry, it is of enormous importance to the economy. When one includes carriage costs, it generates approximately €4.2 billion per annum. The largest number of visitors to visit Ireland in a single year visited Ireland last year. All the sectors and...

National Conference Centre. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 17 together. On 17 February 2005, I informed the House that detailed tender documentation for the procurement of a national conference centre in Dublin was issued on 10 December 2004 by the Office of Public Works to each of the three previously short-listed consortia. I said also that one of the three candidate consortia had indicated it would not, in...

National Conference Centre. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: While I appreciate the kind comments Deputy Deenihan made towards the end of his contribution, he could have been kinder.

National Conference Centre. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: We have made more progress in recent years than was made for many years previously. Deputy Deenihan will be well aware that successive Governments have made several attempts to provide a national conference centre in Dublin without result. Given that we should be in a position sometime in mid-year to declare a preferred candidate, we are doing pretty well. As I have acknowledged at all times,...

National Conference Centre. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: When the documentation issued to candidates in December 2004, the date set by the OPW for receipt of tenders was 18 March 2005. The clarification and consultation process engaged in by the national conference centre project team and the candidates has resulted, as expected, in a number of changes to the tender requirements. In other words, Deputy Wall is correct and we have had to be...

National Conference Centre. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I always said it was hoped we would have a national conference centre in place some time during the year 2007. With regard to the procedures being followed, to the best of my knowledge, all of the procedures we are obliged to follow have been followed to date. Every effort has been made to try to ensure there can be no criticism in that regard at the end of the process. It is difficult for me...

National Conference Centre. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: As I said, whatever procedures we are required to fulfil will have been fulfilled.

Abbey Theatre. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 25 together. I refer the Deputies to my answer to Priority Question No. 4.

Abbey Theatre. (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: We will have a site for the new national theatre during the lifetime of the Government. Four sites are in play at present. While the existing Abbey Theatre is on a very good site, were we in a position to acquire the necessary footprint, the reality of the position is that the expense of doing that and the possible delays involved do not make it a viable proposition. We ran into difficulty...

Written Answers — Culture Ireland: Culture Ireland (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 12 and 26 together. On 24 February, I announced the establishment of a new body for the promotion of Irish arts abroad, which will be known as Culture Ireland, and replaces the cultural relations committee. The board's remit is to promote Irish arts and artists in the international context, utilising the funds made available to it by my Department, in...

Written Answers — Athens Review: Athens Review (22 Mar 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 33 together. In July 2004, the Irish Sports Council in conjunction with the Olympic Council of Ireland and the Paralympic Council of Ireland commissioned the Athens review to produce an objective assessment of the preparation and performance of the Irish teams at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Athens 2004. The purpose of the review was to identify...