Results 9,181-9,200 of 9,844 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Facilities (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: My Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme and the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund. Both of these capital programmes are demand-driven. Local authorities also play a key role in identifying land for sports and recreation as part of the local development plan process. The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sport and Recreational Development (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Addressing female participation at all levels in sport is an important element of the National Sports Policy and a core priority for myself and Minister Catherine Martin. That includes women in leadership positions such as board members of National Governing Bodies (NGBs). The Sports Action Plan set a target for all NGBs to achieve 40% gender representation on their boards by the end of...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

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 Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Events (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The Government continues to support the hosting of major sports events in Ireland and to explore further hosting opportunities. This is evidenced by the Government’s support for events such as the US College Football Classic every August from 2022 – 2026, the hosting of the UEFA Europa League Final in 2024, the Ryder Cup in 2027 in Limerick and the EURO 2028 football...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Facilities (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 51 together. Addressing female participation in sport and physical activity is an important element of the National Sports Policy 2018-2027. Since the introduction of the Women in Sport Programme in 2005, the participation gradient between females and males has reduced from 15.7% to 5% in 2022. Further narrowing and ultimate elimination of the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

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 Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Swimming Pools (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The National Sports Policy, which was published in 2018, provided for the establishment of a Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The aim of the LSSIF is to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects where the Exchequer investment would be greater than the maximum amount available under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP). The first call for...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Events (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: A joint North-South letter of interest was submitted on 19 October 2022 by Minister Martin and her counterpart in Northern Ireland, the then-Minister for the Economy, to the organisers of the Tour de France to indicate a shared interest in potentially hosting a future iteration of the Grand Départ of the Tour de France. Officials from my Department, together with representatives of...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

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 latest...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Swimming Pools (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: My Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) and the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). Both of these capital programmes are demand-driven. Eight of 33 projects awarded funding under the first round of the LSSIF are swimming pool projects. Minister Martin and I have also confirmed that a new round of...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Organisations (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I recognise the importance of sport and physical activity for our society and the need to ensure that opportunities are in place to allow all members of society to participate in sport. Sport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, including the promotion of sports participation. Sport Ireland provides funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Capital funding for sport is provided though the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme 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...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

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 Programme...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education (22 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Core funding, which is a significant achievement of this Government, was first introduced in September 2022. It is designed and has worked to support improved quality of provision, improved pay and conditions for staff, a fee freeze for parents and sustainability and stability of income for services. Core funding makes a significant additional contribution to services' income, allowing them...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education (22 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The announcement in September 2022 regarding early years education and childcare was really significant and in later years will be looked back upon with huge pride as a major achievement of this Government. It was a significant focus of the previous general election. All of us in government should be really proud of what we have achieved with regard to core funding. It is a massive step...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Cancer Services (22 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I just want to make one point first. I am not reading out the script that might have been provided to the Senator because it does not reflect the position of the Government and it certainly does not reflect the position of the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. I am getting that checked. I have been talking to the Minister. The position is that, first, we have championed women's...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Cancer Services (22 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Senator and others for raising this issue, including constituents. Some people in Louth were on to me as well about this particular issue. The script that has been provided here, by the HSE or whoever, does not reflect what the Minister has said. I speak with the authority of the Minister and I can state categorically that he has instructed the HSE to write to every woman it...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hedge Cutting (22 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. In Ireland, our relatively low cover of native woodland makes our hedgerows exceptionally important for biodiversity. Hedgerows provide botanical diversity, as well as food and shelter for animals, most notably birds. They also act as corridors that connect habitats. They are a vital part of our biodiversity infrastructure. In general,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hedge Cutting (22 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I understand the points raised by the Senator and his sincere motivations in this regard but the legal position is that the dates are set out in primary legislation and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has no power or discretion to vary them. The dates can only be altered by primary legislation enacted by the Oireachtas. I will take up the specific point the Deputy...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (22 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Teachta ós rud é go bhfuil an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo curtha faoi bhráid na Dála inniu. Before I address the specific issue raised, I will provide an outline of the extent of the school transport scheme. The scheme is a significant operation that is managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department...