Results 4,201-4,220 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I would like to put on record my pride and delight at the outstanding performance of the Irish Cricket Team who qualified for the Super Eight stage at the Cricket World Cup in the West Indies. This was an unprecedented achievement for the Irish Cricket Team. The sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, is the primary means of providing funding to sporting clubs,...

Written Answers — National Concert Hall: National Concert Hall (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The National Concert Hall, within its limited space at Earlsfort Terrace, is highly energetic and operates with a strong commercial market focus. Seat occupancy consistently exceeds 80% with patrons being turned away from many "house full" events. The Government has decided to redevelop the Concert Hall which will incorporate a main auditorium with a seating capacity for 2,000 patrons, the...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: My legislative priorities for 2007 are the Irish Sports Council (Amendment) Bill and the Bord na gCon (Amendment) Bill. The purpose of the Irish Sports Council (Amendment) Bill is to provide for the granting of powers to the Irish Sports Council to establish subsidiary companies which will facilitate the establishment of the Irish Institute of Sport and Coaching Ireland. The Bord na gCon...

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: My Department is completing an Expenditure Review of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme at present. The Review is examining, among other things, how the programme has worked to date and what changes, if any, are required to ensure its effective and efficient delivery. Thereafter, following consideration of the recommendations in the Review, it is my intention to launch a new round...

Written Answers — Local Development Programme: Local Development Programme (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: My Department will shortly engage with the relevant tourism bodies in order to establish how the commitment in the Programme for Government to "investigate the feasibility of a Regional Conference Centre in the Shannon/Limerick area" can best be progressed.

Written Answers — Horseracing Industry: Horseracing Industry (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Ireland offers a unique racing experience to the race going public both at home and abroad. I am satisfied that Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), in close collaboration with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, is very much engaged in marketing that unique experience internationally. HRI, as the national authority for racing, includes within its remit, the representation of Irish racing abroad....

Written Answers — Stadium Development: Stadium Development (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 28 and 34 together. As the House is aware, in January 2004, the Government agreed to provide funding of €191m towards the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road Stadium as a 50,000 capacity all-seater state-of-the-art facility. The decision in March last by An Bord Pleanála to grant permission for the project cleared the way for the redevelopment of Lansdowne...

Written Answers — National Aquatic Centre: National Aquatic Centre (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Deputies will be aware that the National Sports Campus Development Authority has taken over the role and function of CSID since 1 January 2007. A fully owned subsidiary of the Authority, NSCDA (Operations) Ltd., is now operating the National Aquatic Centre. A full "health check" has been carried out on the National Aquatic Centre since it came back into the possession of CSID on 1 December...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The National Development Plan's Tourism Development Programme, which provides for an €800m Exchequer investment in tourism over the next 7 years, has as one of its fundamental objectives the stimulation of regional development. The Programme includes an "International Marketing" sub-programme which provides €335m to promote the island of Ireland in key international markets. The key...

Written Answers — Sports Funding: Sports Funding (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The joint GAA/GPA proposal submitted to my Department in April in relation to player welfare issues for inter-county players did not take account of my Department's position which had been clearly set out on a number of occasions. The GAA has been requested to submit a proposal which would be in line with that position. Responsibility for player welfare issues rests with the GAA in the same...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Arts Council is the main channel for Government support to the arts. However, the Arts Council does not provide funding for private, commercial arts organisations such as private galleries. My Department provides capital funding through the Arts and Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme (ACCESS) for the building of arts and culture facilities around the country, mainly in the...

Written Answers — Museum Projects: Museum Projects (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Some 155 applications were received seeking funding of over €200m under the recently completed round of the Arts & Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme (ACCESS II). This demand greatly exceeded the total funding of €32m available for disbursement under this round of the scheme. An independent Selection Committee, appointed to evaluate all the applications received, made funding...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: As the Deputy is aware, my Department was designated under the Government's Decentralisation Programme as one of the "early mover" Departments. It is intended that the entire Department (excluding the National Archives which will remain in Dublin) will relocate to Killarney. Following a tendering process, the Office of Public Works selected PJ Hegarty and Sons to develop the permanent...

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The restoration of the new Northern Ireland Executive will provide an added impetus for enhanced North South co-operation in the areas of tourism, arts, culture, and sport. In that context the potential for co-operation across the horse and greyhound sectors will be explored building on contacts which have already been made in these areas and at future Ministerial meetings.

Written Answers — Film Industry Development: Film Industry Development (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The task of attracting international production into Ireland is dependent on a number of elements, not all of which fall within the sphere of influence of my Department or that of the Irish Film Board (IFB). Decisions to site a film project in a particular territory involve complex funding, cultural, logistical and project-specific elements all of which are crucial for a successful result....

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The following four key appointments have been put in place to date for the Institute of Sport: Executive Chairman Chief Science Officer Athlete Services Officer Chief Medical Officer I understand that the recruitment process for a Chief Technical Officer will begin shortly and additional administration appointments will be made later this year.

Written Answers — Arts Council: Arts Council (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Arts Council has presented me with a copy of the report and I am currently examining its contents. The publication of the report is a matter for the Arts Council. In advance of my considering its proposals fully and discussing them with my colleague, the Minister for Education, it would be premature of me to comment further at this juncture.

Written Answers — Arts Council: Arts Council (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The issue of pay for any sector of the economy is a matter for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. However, I can, of course, comment on the research, The Public and the Arts, carried out by the Arts Council. The recent study does not show diminishing engagement with the arts. On the contrary the research confirms that levels of attendance at arts events in Ireland are above...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I am informed by Fáilte Ireland that the number of visitors who engaged in hiking/hill walking during their stay in Ireland for each of the years from 2000 to 2005 is as outlined in the table. Walking is the most popular outdoor activity that overseas visitors to Ireland engage in during their stays. Based on Fáilte Ireland visitor surveys, almost 300,000 visitors to Ireland, in 2005, went...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Arts and Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme (ACCESS II) will run from 2007 to 2009. The following table contains a list of the successful projects on a county-by-county basis that received a total of €32 million in funding under the ACCESS II scheme. €81 million is available for the ACCESS programme under the NDP 2007-2013. In light of progress on this round of the...