Results 7,681-7,700 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Other Questions: Sports Capital Programme (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: In 2015. However, we will have to examine at a later date whether it will be possible to bring it forward. I cannot make promises at this stage. The Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ring, has been in contact with other Departments. While sports funding is provided in the main by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Departments of Health, Education and Skills and the...

Other Questions: Sports Capital Programme (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Keating for his comments. I was delighted to see sport featuring so strongly in a leaflet delivered recently by the Deputy to his constituents - he and I are neighbours. Of the €30 million in the programme, €26 million is going to local clubs, including local soccer clubs, GAA clubs, community organisations and so forth, and only €4 million is going to...

Other Questions: Sports Capital Programme (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The scheme currently requires that clubs provide 15% of their own funding and that they produce evidence that they have that funding in place. The percentage required for RAPID and CLÁR areas is lower; I cannot remember the exact figure, but I believe it is 5%. The scheme does not allow labour or payment-in-kind to be counted as a contribution, although that is certainly something we...

Other Questions: Sports Capital Programme (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: Notification of grants will issue after the budget this year and clubs will have two years to draw down the funds. The amount each county should get has been worked out on a per capita basis and the funds awarded to each county will be within a band of 90% to 120% of that amount, with counties that did poorly in the past being closer to 120% and those that did very well in the past closer to...

Other Questions: Sports Capital Programme (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: No.

Other Questions: Sports Capital Programme (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot confirm Deputy Naughten's figures but the net cost would be higher than the gross cost when PRSI and VAT are included. Of course, one needs to have the money in the first place because it has to be spent before VAT and PRSI can be recouped. Bear in mind that when €30 million is allocated on the expenditure side the amount returned in VAT and PRSI is already counted on the...

Other Questions: State Airports (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: This question relates to the State's remaining shareholding in Aer Lingus. The State's shareholding in Aer Lingus is one of the assets included in the State asset disposal programme. The Government agreed that the shareholding would be sold at an appropriate time, but only when market conditions are favourable and at an acceptable price to be agreed by Government. A steering...

Other Questions: State Airports (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: Ryanair has submitted a number of remedies to the European Commission explaining how it proposes to get around any competition concerns. It is certainly not the case that the Commission would allow it to take over Aer Lingus just like that. Ryanair would have to give up quite a lot of routes, either Aer Lingus or Ryanair routes, to other airlines from overseas in order to reintroduce...

Other Questions: State Airports (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The revenue stream goes to the Dublin Airport Authority, rather than to the region. As far as I am concerned, the Aer Rianta International jobs that are in the region will stay in the region. It has never been the case that the revenue stream goes to the region. An important detail was missing from the figures mentioned by the Deputy. As a consequence of its own investments, Aer Rianta...

Other Questions: State Airports (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The 25% stake in Aer Lingus belongs to the State and to the taxpayer. That is where it will go. It will not go to a private pension fund. As I have said, the steering group is doing its work on the sale of the stake at the moment. It is fair to say we will be careful in this area. It would not be my view that the stake should be sold quickly or cheaply. This asset belongs to the people,...

Other Questions: State Airports (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The legislation requires that there be business plans for both Shannon and Cork, if Cork is to be separated, and then also for the residual entity. It is not a case of just having a business plan for one; there has to be a business plan for two.

Other Questions: State Airports (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: In terms of passenger numbers and volume, what has to be envisaged for Shannon to do well is to recover some of the lost ground. It has lost almost half of its passenger numbers and it needs to recover that, either by growing new business or competing with other airports, and that includes Dublin and Cork.

Other Questions: Tourism Industry (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The question relates to the fall in visitor numbers from Britain. According to the latest CSO figures for January to September 2012, and despite ongoing economic difficulties across much of Europe and further afield, our visitor numbers from the European and long-haul markets performed well and America has held steady. However, our visitor numbers from Britain continue to be affected...

Other Questions: Tourism Industry (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The number of visitors for the first nine months was down 4.3% and the last quarter was particularly bad, which probably related both to the Olympics, which caused people to stay in Britain, and also the bad weather, which caused people to go to warmer destinations. In the same period the number of visits from North America was up 0.6%, the number of visits from long haul markets was up 3.7%...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Reports (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 134 together.   Value for Money reviews into the Coast Guard and Marine Surveying functions of my Department, which were undertaken by independent consultants, identified a number of issues which need to be addressed in Ireland's maritime transport safety and marine emergency response regimes. These include enhancing...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Wild Atlantic Way Project (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 159 together. These questions relate to the development of the Wild Atlantic Way by Fáilte Ireland.  My Department’s role in relation to tourism is primarily concerned with national policy, and I do not have responsibility for the development of individual tourism projects.  The development of the Wild Atlantic Way is an...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: The Gathering (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105, 108, 109, 121, 124, 128, 135, 151, 158, 723, 729, 730, 737 to 743, inclusive, and 748 together. The question all relate to the Gathering. Aspects of these questions were answered earlier as part of my response to Deputy Wallace's priority question on the Gathering 2013.  The full list of committed or pledged events for the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driving Licences (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: This question is in relation to the regulations governing the new driving licence. I understand that the Deputy is interested in whether we could put emergency medical information on the new plastic card driving licence.  This would involve details such as blood group, allergies to penicillin, for example, and perhaps contact information for next of kin. The requirement to switch to...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Industry (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 120 together. These questions relate to practices relating to car rental and the Deputy's concerns about practices in that industry. Firstly, I must state that I have no regulatory function in relation to the car rental industry. The National Consumer Agency, which comes within the remit of the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Alcohol Advertising (27 Nov 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I fully support the central aim of the National Substance Misuse Strategy in reducing the level of alcohol consumption and binge drinking in Ireland. However, I also recognise that moderate and responsible alcohol consumption is not harmful and that there is no case for denormalising alcohol consumption in the way that was appropriate for tobacco. Any measures introduced...