Results 641-660 of 12,487 for speaker:John O'Donoghue

Swimming Pool Projects. (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: God forbid that any of us should ever become involved in pre-election posturing. Priority must be given to the large number of swimming pools still being processed. It is not proposed to re-open the swimming pools programme at present. However, the question of doing so will be considered following an expenditure review of the programme being carried out by my Department and which is expected...

Swimming Pool Projects. (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: The maximum grant that can be allocated for a swimming pool is €3.8 million and this does not provide the dry facilities. The problem is that there are not enough resources to go around. When facilities are being put in place, local authorities must come up with funding and if they want dry facilities they must provide them themselves. The only other vehicle for dry facilities at present is...

Departmental Funding. (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: My Department has allocated a total of €7.85 million, comprising an original €6.35 million towards programming for the event and a further €1.5 million which I approved specifically for additional new commissions and a number of larger events with mass audience appeal. EU funding of €500,000 has been provided, the event has a sponsorship target of €3.975 million and Cork City...

Departmental Funding. (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: We have been generous in terms of Cork City of Culture. It is proving to be a wonderful success, despite forebodings which were vented in some quarters, not least in Cork. The organising committee has done a superb, professional job and the figures, which do not lie, bear that out. In the first three months of 2005, 300,000 people attended events under Cork City of Culture, an astounding...

Departmental Funding. (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: The Cork City of Culture organisers knew precisely what the funding would be. Far from staying with the original figure, the Government increased its investment. Sponsorship and benefit in kind have exceeded €5.5 million and are heading for €6 million. It is true that when we make international comparisons with larger cities that have held the title of European City of Culture, Cork's...

Departmental Funding. (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I have no doubt that the drama in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, a long-running saga in many acts, will give great joy and entertainment to our fellow countymen and women. Returning to the topic, the organisers of Cork City of Culture have ensured that events being put on in the city are innovative, imaginative and attractive. When the entire year is reviewed, we will be proud of what has happened in Cork.

Sports Development. (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: 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 review was to identify the strengths and weaknesses of all aspects of the programmes and...

Sports Development. (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: There is no difficulty in publishing the report. The development of high performance athletes requires a long-term approach. There is no point in believing it can be done overnight. Research indicates it takes ten years of training to develop an elite athlete. It must be remembered that the Irish Sports Council's high performance strategy was only published in 2002. Our strategy is a...

Sports Development. (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I strongly favour the introduction of an institute of sport. The difficulty, like everything else, is to secure funding for such a project. I am a strong supporter of the Abbotstown campus project. I want to see a necklace of sporting centres, such as the aquatic centre, and that we have an adequate campus facility.

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 19, 30 and 44 together. As I advised the House on 10 May 2005, there has been a major reform of Irish tourism structures in recent years with the setting up of Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. Reform of the function, role and operational structure of regional tourism is the third and final leg of that reform process. The House will be aware that I have...

Written Answers — Abbey Theatre: Abbey Theatre (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 40 together. As Minister, I have no statutory responsibility for the Abbey, which is operated by the National Theatre Society Limited, a private company limited by guarantee. My Department and I maintain liaison with the Abbey at various levels, and I have been briefed on recent developments regarding the theatre's finances and financial accounts. State...

Written Answers — National Concert Hall: National Concert Hall (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 22 together. As I have advised the House previously, officials from my Department and the Office of Public Works over several years engaged in extensive consultations and investigations with a view to identifying a suitable location for a state-of-the-art National Concert Hall in Dublin. When last year it emerged that the university authorities were...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: The objective of the "per cent for art" scheme is to ensure that an art work is commissioned as part of every capital project undertaken by public agencies, including Departments, with the cost provided for from the outset of project planning. Although implementation has been somewhat uneven, the fruits of the scheme can be seen all around the country, from the "Perpetual Motion" exhibit...

Written Answers — National Aquatic Centre: National Aquatic Centre (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 29 together. I refer the Deputy to my response to priority Question No. 1 on today's Order Paper.

Written Answers — Stadium Development: Stadium Development (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 26, 35 and 46 together. The project to redevelop Lansdowne Road Stadium has already commenced. The end of 2005 has been set as a target date by which to have lodged an application for planning permission. It is not possible at this stage to guage exactly how long it may take to secure full planning permission. However, in anticipation of an early and...

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: My Department administers the local authority swimming pool programme, which provides grant aid towards the capital costs of a new pool, a replacement pool or the refurbishment of an existing pool. The programme provides for a maximum grant level of 80% of eligible costs — 90% in the case of disadvantaged areas — subject to a maximum of €3.8 million. Since 2002, grant-aid has been...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 27 together. Under the national lottery-funded sports capital programme administered by my Department, funding is allocated to projects that provide sports and recreational facilities at local, regional and national level. Since June 2002, a total of €117.46 million has been allocated to 1,367 projects throughout the country under the 2003 and 2004...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: The national lottery-funded sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, allocates funding for sporting and recreational facilities and equipment. While responsibility for the provision of facilities in national and secondary schools rests with the Department of Education and Science, applications from schools and colleges may be considered under the programme in certain...

Written Answers — National Stadium: National Stadium (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 33 and 104 together. In January 2004 the Government decided to proceed with the development of a sports campus on the State-owned lands at Abbotstown. Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Limited, CSID, having consulted widely with the major governing bodies of sport, stakeholders and interest groups, put forward proposals for the development of a sports...

Written Answers — Abbey Theatre: Abbey Theatre (16 Jun 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 31 and 36 together. I would refer the Deputies to my reply to Priority Question No. 4 on today's Order Paper.