Results 8,681-8,700 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Sports Capital Programme. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: Work on the production of a national sports facilities strategy is at an advanced stage. The aim of the strategy is to provide high level policy direction for future investment and grant assistance at national, regional and local level. It is intended to identify the facilities requirement for sport in order that participation at reasonable cost is feasible for those who wish to engage in...

Sports Capital Programme. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy's comments reflect an ongoing and valid debate. I hope the audit will be completed over the coming months. The Irish Sports Council commissioned a number of reports from the ESRI and other agencies. The findings of these reports will influence the direction the Department will take on these issues. Over the past ten years, sports facilities have been transformed throughout the...

Sports Capital Programme. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: I will, but I know from experience over the years and not only as the Minister responsible that all applications for sports grants go through a rigorous assessment which has nothing to do with the Minister responsible. Unless they come through that process, they do not end up on the desk in terms of recommendations for allocations. There is certainly no way in which a Minister could return...

Sports Capital Programme. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: In context of the current round of allocations which have been expended, my constituency does not have the highest per capita allocation in this respect.

Sports Capital Programme. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: No, it does not. It is a long way down the list.

Sports Capital Programme. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: One can never win in these matters.

Tourism Industry. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: Latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show that, notwithstanding the difficult global environment, the number of overseas visitors for the first seven months of 2008 was just ahead of last year at more than 4.5 million. Figures for July alone were less positive, which we all know. I understand that the indications are that the fall-off in monthly numbers seen in July was...

Tourism Industry. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: I am aware of the point the Deputy is making. There is not really a plethora of organisations in place. We have two major organisations, one of which is Tourism Ireland, which is responsible for marketing Ireland overseas on behalf of the whole island of Ireland. It is a North-South body funded by both jurisdictions to carry out that task. The other organisation is Fáilte Ireland, which...

Tourism Industry. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: Yes, I agree with that.

Tourism Industry. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: Given the economic situation, I am strongly of the view, and have conveyed it to both marketing organisations, that they should get much greater value for every euro spent in the coming year than they might have received in the preceding years because there is a real reduction in available spend across the business world in terms of accessing media to promote one's message. The value that...

Swimming Pool Projects. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: It is intended to complete the remaining 20 pools under the current round of the local authority swimming pool programme. A total of 57 applications were received under the current round. Some 37 pools have been completed and opened to the public, eight in respect of which funding has been allocated are under construction and a further 12 are at various stages of development. Funding in...

Swimming Pool Projects. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: I do not disagree with the Deputy. I take a strong view regarding the value of sport, in all its guises, for young people. Many Members enjoyed participating in sport when they were much younger. It makes a huge contribution in the context of people's general health, their development of social and interactional skills and the way in which they mature. Some 57 applications were received...

Swimming Pool Projects. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: Based on the current programme, it will be achieved. However, I would like us to reach a position where we would be closer to the international average of one pool per 28,000 people.

Swimming Pool Projects. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: We have come from a position where the figure was effectively zero. We were able to instigate the programme only in recent years when the necessary resources were available. This is not merely a national project, there is involvement on the part of local authorities, communities and the Department. As stated, 57 applications were received and 27 pools have been completed and opened, eight...

Sport and Recreational Development. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: The London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics task force was established in August 2006 to ensure Ireland can identify and maximise the complete range of opportunities arising from its proximity to the Olympic and Paralympic games that will be held in London in 2012. The task force included experts from the sport, tourism, cultural and business sectors and was supported by staff from within my...

Sport and Recreational Development. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: As the Deputy is aware, we are in the midst of an Estimates process at present. What will happen in the future will be decided as the budget approaches. However, this does not invalidate in any way what I said after the Olympic Games in Beijing. The points I made then remain valid now and I have not changed my mind in respect of them. When people refer to 2012, it is usually in the context...

Sport and Recreational Development. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: I do not want to give the impression that whole teams were training abroad. I was talking about a specific part of a team. It was not because of lack of resources in China that it sent cyclists to train in Switzerland. The reason is that Switzerland is the centre of excellence in terms of training. Currently, we have cyclists involved in specific high level programmes in Europe. Even if...

Cultural Events. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: Dublin hosted the first culture night in 2006. On culture night key artistic and cultural venues extend their opening hours until late in the evening, providing the public with increased access. Since then the Department's focus has been to develop the event, in conjunction with the Temple Bar cultural trust, which co-ordinates the event by encouraging more venues to participate and to...

Cultural Events. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: I thank the Deputy for her comments. We all agree culture night was an outstanding success. It got great public coverage, which helped bring the message of what was happening to people. One can never win — the Deputy suggested there was too much to do, whereas, usually, the criticism is there is not enough to do. Culture night is a work in progress in terms of learning how to manage a...

Tourism Promotion. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: As the Deputy will be aware, primary responsibility for the negotiations on introducing pre-clearance facilities at Dublin and Shannon airports rests with my colleague, the Minister for Transport. As I said previously, the introduction of pre-clearance facilities would have some positive aspects for Irish tourism. If such an agreement could be reached, it would help Dublin and Shannon...