Results 8,501-8,520 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

National Theatre. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: One does not design a €200 million project on the back of a postage stamp. It is a huge project.

National Theatre. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: I am answering the Deputy from experience that it will be at least six months. It may be more than that. I will come back to her when that timeframe has been decided. I am not deciding the timeframe as it is being done by those involved in the project management from the OPW and the National Development Finance Agency.

Sports Funding. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: A sum of €184 million has been provided in the National Development Plan 2007-2013 for supporting existing projects in the local authority swimming pool programme and for new projects to be selected following the launch of a new round of the programme. The terms and conditions of a new round will be devised taking into account the recommendations of the value for money and policy review...

Sports Funding. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: That is a very distorted way of looking at the programme. Total expenditure of €120 million has gone in and this has leveraged approximately €378 million. Since 2002, some 57 new projects are being dealt with under the programme. This is a phenomenal number of direct pool projects. Some 45 projects have been allocated grant aid of which 34 have already been completed. I opened three...

Sports Funding. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: Some 34 have been completed, 11 more are under construction and 12 others are at various stages, two preparing tenders, seven preparing contract documents and three are preparing preliminary reports. The scale of the programme over the past number of years has been extremely significant. I agree with the Deputy. If the resources are available to me, I would like to open a second round of...

Sports Funding. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: That was in the context of a new Government being formed within a matter of weeks.

Sport and Recreational Development. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Irish institute of sport has been in operation since 2006 as a unit within the Irish Sports Council with its own specially selected board. The executive chairperson, supported by a senior management team, which includes a director of sports science, director of sports medicine, director of athlete services and a director of technical services, has been working with the national governing...

Sport and Recreational Development. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: I do not agree. The institute has been established as a unit within the Irish Sports Council. That is a very independent and autonomous body. They can and do make decisions working together within the remit of the institute of sport. They have directors of sports science, sports medicine, athletes' services and technical services. The issue of whether this body should be independent and...

Sport and Recreational Development. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: The point is that the Irish institute of sport has been set up and is working efficiently and well. The Deputy asks whether it should be on a statutory basis and independent.

Sport and Recreational Development. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: I have just given a very clear indication to the Deputy that I am reviewing that. I do not necessarily take the view that the creation of more and more bodies in all areas is in the best interests of the people we are trying to serve. I have no indication at this stage——

Sport and Recreational Development. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: I will bring it to a conclusion fairly soon. We will need to move on and whether we move forward by setting up the Irish institute of sport entirely on its own and independent or keep it within the Sports Council is a decision that needs to be made in the near future.

Arts in Education. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Creative Engagement, The Art in Our Schools pilot programme, was set up by the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, NAPD, in 2004, co-funded by the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, to encourage students to engage with the arts. The NAPD is a well established body with close links to the Department of Education and...

Arts in Education. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: It is a fair point. They mesh extremely well. The report to which I referred in my reply was specific because of the 32 schools that were supported. It has only come into the Department in the past week or so and its assessment is only being carried out at present. The indications are that it has a very positive impact. It is important to point out that a whole range of bodies in...

Tourism Industry. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 95 together. The National Development Plan 2007-2013 includes the largest ever Government investment programme for development of Irish tourism, providing €800 million in investment for the following: an international marketing sub-programme of €335 million to promote the island of Ireland in key international markets; a product development and...

Tourism Industry. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: I do not agree that any particular part of the country is being ignored when it comes to spending on tourism. Tourism Ireland's marketing strategy is such that it markets the entire island of Ireland as a destination for tourists, which has clearly benefitted every part of the country. However, the dynamic of the regional tourism boards certainly comes into play and it is obvious that very...

Tourism Industry. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: I do not believe it is used as a dividing line between the regions, although the Deputy is correct in saying that the River Shannon is one of the biggest natural assets in the country. I would have thought there is good co-operation between the different elements in tourism and local authorities within the area, although I suppose nothing is so perfect that it cannot be improved upon....

Tourism Industry. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: ——might be mutually beneficial, if not of benefit to everybody in the region. As I do not come from Dublin, I am very conscious of the regions and understand some of the frustrations that exist regarding the dominance of the capital city. Having said that, we need a strong, thriving capital city in order for the rest of the country to benefit. In that context, a balance must be struck....

Tourism Industry. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: Very substantial changes to the tourism structures and bodies have been made in recent years. Tourism Ireland was established and is working on an all-Ireland basis, with buy-in from our colleagues in Northern Ireland. Fáilte Ireland also has expanded its remit quite substantially. Clearly, it is not possible for every county to promote itself internationally. The funding required for...

Departmental Agencies. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: In his 2008 budget speech of 5 December 2007, the Minister for Finance announced that the Government had agreed to an efficiency review of all administrative spending across the entire public service. Under this review, my Department was required to examine all its administrative spending and that of the agencies under its aegis and report to the Department of Finance on the outcome....

Departmental Agencies. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: All of the bodies are accountable to the various Ministers in the Department who are accountable to the Dáil. This afternoon, I have given a very full and frank explanation of all of the different bodies in place. Interestingly, we had a discussion earlier where I made the point that I was not minded to create new agencies and add to the myriad agencies we have and I do not intend to do...