Results 8,601-8,620 of 9,844 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (18 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (18 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (18 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: In relation to my Department's responsibilities, the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Schools are eligible to apply for funding once the application is made jointly with a sports club. Over 13,000 projects...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Ministerial Responsibilities (18 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The Government has appointed me to be Minister of State at both the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and also the Department of Education with special responsibility for Sport and Physical Education. The Sports Action Plan 2021-2023 contains a number of actions highlighting the importance of physical activity in the educational setting. It is intended to...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Facilities (18 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 445 together. The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. As well as sports organisations, applications are accepted from local authorities and artificial playing surfaces...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (18 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: In relation to my Department's responsibilities, the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Grants are available to sports clubs, voluntary and community groups, national governing bodies of sport, and local...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Tourism Policy (25 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Senator and the Cathaoirleach for their kind comments. I thank the Senator for raising this matter and I apologise that the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, is not available. She asked me to take this matter. The Government approved the priority drafting of the registration of short-term tourist letting Bill and publication of the general scheme of the Bill in December. It...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Tourism Policy (25 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Senator for raising the issue. The Minister said she looks forward to working with Oireachtas colleagues to progress the legislation in the interests of tourism and its sustainable development and in contributing to solving our housing crisis. We hope this legislation passes this year. I am not privy to its agenda, but I have no doubt the joint committee will be taking the full...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Gender Balance (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Addressing women's participation at all levels in sport is an important element of the national sports policy and a core priority for me, the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, and the Government as a whole. That includes women in leadership positions such as board members of national governing bodies, NGBs. The sports action plan sets a target for all NGBs to achieve 40% gender...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Gender Balance (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The Deputy is absolutely correct. I want to be clear to all the national governing bodies, including the big national governing bodies that, to be fair, are doing a lot for sport and women in sport. To be clear, the grant funding to those organisations is now closely aligned to our key policies, one of which is the achievement of 40% gender balance with female representation on the boards...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Gender Balance (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I know the Deputy will be fighting for sports funding for Carlow.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Gender Balance (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: It would be no harm to remind the national governing bodies that the funding will be dependent on having representation at board level. We must fight for more facilities. Frankly, this summer is going to be like Italia 90, in some respects, with our women's soccer team in the World Cup. Any level of inequality would simply not be tolerated. We have to work to get more facilities because I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Gender Balance (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: That would go against the whole point of it. We have yet to make decisions on that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 31, 39, 51, 54, 73 and 75 together. As the Deputies are aware, the sports capital and equipment programme, SCEP, is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have benefited from sports capital funding...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I completely reject the Sinn Féin proposal to move away from the sports capital programme. We will not do that. We will stick with it and we will be prioritising disadvantaged areas. That is what we are doing and that is what the sports capital programme has always done. Areas of disadvantage are awarded higher marks under the scheme. There will be a transparent marking scheme and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: They are also in Kildare. I am addressing the areas where Deputies spoke on this particular question but it is important in every county. We want to help the national governing bodies to help the sporting bodies in the areas and that includes all of them. I have had discussions with some of the national governing bodies on that as well.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I do not reject a sports facility strategy; I rejected Deputy Andrews's proposal to move away from a sports capital programme.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: What he said about the Minister of State's constituency is not true. Every constituency did better in the last sports capital allocation.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The Government is committed to doing that with priority for inclusion and disadvantage and we will continue with that. Regarding Deputy Carey's point, discussions are ongoing. Massive ambition has been shown by voluntary clubs throughout the country. These are not professional clubs, as Sinn Féin has alleged. Voluntary clubs in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of cities and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (26 Jan 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputy for this highly relevant question. This is a very exciting time for women's football in Ireland. I recently attended the soccer writers' awards night at which Vera Pauw spoke. The sense of sheer excitement and pride, which came from her and was shared around the room, will be reflected throughout the country as we build up to the World Cup and our women take part in it....