Results 8,781-8,800 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Seanad: Adjournment Debate: Ports Development (30 Apr 2013)

Michael Ring: The Senator is correct. There are difficult challenges facing both ports and one can see from the statistics and the drop in goods coming in and out of the port that it has problems, which is why it commissioned its own report. The Government has commissioned its report. The Senator is correct that today's news is very good for the south east and I am delighted with it. He is also correct...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme Application Numbers (2 May 2013)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 251, 252 and 254 together.   Applications were unsuccessful for various reasons.  Some were deemed invalid for one or more of the following reasons: issues regarding title, no evidence of own funding, issues regarding planning permission, original signatures not provided, issues regarding quotes,  feasibility study...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming European Council: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Michael Ring: I thank members of the committee for the opportunity to brief them ahead of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council next week in Brussels. We have made progress on a number of our priorities for sport during the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU. I am looking forward to chairing the Council of Sport Ministers and to an engaging debate with my EU colleagues. There are huge...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming European Council: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Michael Ring: Senator Brennan is correct. Last year was the first time since 2008 that there has been a sports capital programme. We received a record 2,170 applications. We grant-aided 648 separate facilities throughout the country. I would have liked to have had more money to distribute. The breakdown in respect of the programme is that €26 million was invested in local schemes and €5...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming European Council: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Michael Ring: In the context of what Senator Eamonn Coghlan said in respect of dual careers, we are hoping to encourage co-operation between member states. We are also hoping to encourage them to enter dialogue with their educational institutions. The Senator was one of our top athletes for many years. He is quite correct in that he was obliged to strike a balance between his running and his education,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming European Council: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Michael Ring: As stated, the World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, is meeting in Montreal this week. The governing bodies in sport, which are responsible for handing down sanctions, must come to grips with this matter. In my opinion, a person caught using performance-enhancing drugs should never be allowed to be involved in sport again. All sporting organisations, nationally and internationally, are too soft....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming European Council: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Michael Ring: Deputy Harrington asked a good question about the funding of promising young and rising stars, men and women. That is why we have the Irish Sports Council. We provide funding for them. The Irish Sports Council targets and funds elite athletes. Sometimes people forget that we fund them well. There is a mechanism in place and the council is changing that mechanism. We are also giving...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming European Council: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Michael Ring: I would like to put on the record that Ireland has one of the best anti-doping programmes in the world. The Irish Sports Council spends €18,000 a week on testing. We are playing our part, but we need to examine ways and means of targeting illegal drugs coming into the country. The issue of dual careers was raised. We support GAA players, through the Irish Sports Council, and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming European Council: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Michael Ring: I thank members for their questions. Deputy Tom Fleming raised the possibility of Ireland hosting a future rugby world cup. We are engaged in negotiations with the Irish Rugby Football Union on this issue and they are going well. I am very hopeful that we will be able to host a world cup in due course. A great deal of research is being done in this regard, including a feasibility study,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming European Council: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Michael Ring: Of course. I agree that we are fortunate to have such good structures in place in terms of the interplay between the sports council and the various national governing bodies. It is vital that those standards are retained. The funding to the council last year was €43 million. There are ongoing and regular discussions between the council and the various sports governing bodies and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming European Council: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Michael Ring: Yes, we are working on that issue. The Chairman is correct that last year's Notre Dame game brought thousands of visitors not only to Dublin, but to locations throughout the country. It was the first time I ever saw taxi drivers, hoteliers, restaurateurs and publicans so united in their efforts to put on a good show. The message those visitors brought back to the United States was a very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming European Council: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Michael Ring: I was not expecting the question on The Gathering, but I will answer off the top of my head. I will supply the figures. I am glad that the Chairman asked the question, as it gives me an opportunity to discuss the matter. The Gathering is going brilliantly. Our first quarter figures increased by more than 7.2%. Our North American, Italian, French, German and other markets are doing well,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming European Council: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Michael Ring: Ms Carol O'Reilly and Mr. Tim Scully from the Department are present. Everyone believes that our Department has 100 staff, but it does not. The numbers are small. Ms O'Reilly and Mr. Scully have done a great deal of work for the EU Presidency. The country has held two major conferences. I do not mind saying this publicly, but I am disappointed by the national media, particularly RTE,...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme Expenditure (14 May 2013)

Michael Ring: No decision has been taken on the timing of the next round of the Sports Capital Programme.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Funding (14 May 2013)

Michael Ring: In 2009 and 2010 my Department provided total funding of €1m to the Irish Amateur Boxing Association to bulk buy equipment for distribution amongst their member clubs. In addition to this there was an allocation of €1.25m made to the IABA in 2011 to allow local boxing clubs throughout the country to improve their premises with special emphasis...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme Eligibility (14 May 2013)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 742 and 743 together. Grants allocated under the Sports Capital Programme are allocated to various clubs and sports organisations on condition that they retain the grant aided facility in sporting use for at least 15 years in the case of capital works, or in the case of sports equipment that the equipment is used for at least 5 years. The Department...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sporting Events (14 May 2013)

Michael Ring: I am fully supportive of the bid to host the Rugby World Cup in Ireland. It is a matter for the IRFU to prepare and submit a bid.  A feasibility study commissioned by the IRFU on the potential for hosting the tournament was recently presented to me by them and the findings of the report are being considered. The support of other sporting organisations would be an...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme Applications (14 May 2013)

Michael Ring: The most recent round of the Sports Capital Programme was launched last March. This was the first round of the Programme since 2008.  The deadline for applications was 11 May 2012 for paper based hard copy applications and 1 June for applications made online. The Department received 2,170 applications for funding under the 2012 Sports Capital...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Road Maintenance (14 May 2013)

Michael Ring: I am replying on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar. The Minister has responsibility for overall policy and funding relating to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the...

Leaders' Questions (15 May 2013)

Michael Ring: Deputy Mattie McGrath himself should take the job.