Results 941-960 of 12,487 for speaker:John O'Donoghue

Local Authority Funding. (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I thank Deputy Catherine Murphy for raising this matter. I make this reply on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, who apologises for being unable to attend the debate. The Minister acknowledges that the level of general purpose grants from the local government fund is of great concern to all local authorities, and the Government's record in...

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 20 and 25 together. I refer the Deputies to my reply to the priority question on this matter earlier today. I have already advised the House that Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company is currently putting together an application for planning permission which it expects to have ready for lodgement with the planning authority by end-2006. It is not...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: The Deputy will be aware that I have no responsibility for pub licensing hours — this is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Neither am I familiar with the background or rationale to the extension of pub licensing hours in Northern Ireland. From a tourism perspective, there is no evidence of any pressing need to extend the opening hours for licensed...

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: Due to the proximity of the existing west stand of the Lansdowne stadium to the DART rail line, which is owned by CIE, it is inevitable that the work to ensure the safe demolition of the existing stand and the redevelopment of the Lansdowne stadium will impinge on the rail line. Discussions are ongoing between the Lansdowne Stadium Development Company and CIE and Iarnród Eireann concerning...

Written Answers — National Theatre: National Theatre (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 22 together. In July 2005, the Government authorised investigative surveys to be carried out at the George's Dock site to inform further decisions on the development of the theatre there. At my request, the Office of Public Works arranged detailed examination of the site, including archaeological, geotechnical and structural surveys. These studies have...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: A working group was established under the chairmanship of the Secretary General of my Department, in June 2005, to identify further synergies between the tourism, sport, arts and culture areas of my Department and how they could be advanced to enhance the further development of the sectors concerned. The terms of reference of this working group — the synergies implementation group — are...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: Ireland offers a unique racing experience to the race going public both at home and abroad. I am satisfied that Horse Racing Ireland, in close collaboration with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, is very much engaged in marketing that unique experience overseas. HRI, as the national authority for racing, includes within its remit the representation of Irish racing abroad. Through its...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: International comparisons are far less simple than initially appears to be the case. Approaches to what is classified as "arts" spend, for example, can differ quite dramatically from one jurisdiction and context to another. It must also be said that jurisdictions with very high spending across the board also tend to have very high tax rates and that is something that we do not have here. The...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I am, of course, aware of the Bridgestone Guide and I have seen some of the author's comments on the state of the hospitality sector in Ireland. As I understood them, these comments are broadly positive. Indeed, in the words of the author, the Bridgestone Guide purports to "sing the good news that we have world-class cooking, world-class chefs and world-class hospitality". People's tastes...

Written Answers — Sports Funding: Sports Funding (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: On 22 September 2004, the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children launched the second report of the strategic task force on alcohol. My Department and the Irish Sports Council were represented on the task force. The report refers to proposed legislation, currently being drafted by the Department of Health and Children, which aims to restrict alcohol advertising to children and young...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 29 together. As the Deputies are aware, I am not responsible for implementing Transport 21. That responsibility lies with my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen. Any questions regarding the implementation of the plan might be more usefully addressed to him. I am delighted to have the opportunity to welcome and endorse Transport 21, the...

Written Answers — Sports Funding: Sports Funding (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: The detailed design for the Lansdowne Road stadium project has been completed by HOK Sports with the assistance of Irish architects Scott Tallon Walker and I was very pleased to launch the design for the stadium on 17 October last. The revised design is an innovative solution for the site which now provides more corporate and premium seats than was contained in the initial outline design. The...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 32 and 87 together. I have no direct responsibility for individual actions or measures relating to tourism promotion or development in so far as specific areas of the country are concerned. These are, at present, day-to-day functions of the State tourism agencies. Fáilte Ireland, in response to a recommendation in the tourism action plan set out in the...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I refer the Deputy to my detailed reply on this matter to Question No. 5 of 13 October 2005. As I have already indicated, the State tourism agencies are being particularly vigilant about the risk of excessive prices being charged by certain elements of the Irish tourism and hospitality industry in the context of Ryder Cup 2006. In all of their dealings with the industry, they are taking the...

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: My Department is anxious to encourage the construction of attractive, public sports and leisure facilities to ensure that the Government's strategies to promote good health and fitness are advanced. As evidence of this commitment the level of funding provided in 2005 by my Department, at almost €62 million in respect of the sports capital programme, €34 million in respect of the Sports...

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: The national governing bodies of sport, recognised by the Irish Sports Council, which are constituted on an all-Ireland basis are listed below. I fully support the constructive and positive level of co-operation which exists between the Irish Sports Council and the Sports Council for Northern Ireland as well as the all-island national governing bodies, in their efforts to promote and develop...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: I am aware that, for a variety of reasons, there was a slow start to the North American tourism market this year which has left overall numbers from January to August down less than 1% on last year. However, I am heartened by the fact that according to the latest CSO figures for August, visitor numbers from North America grew by 6.2% over the same month last year. This follows on from an 8.9%...

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: On 27 January 2004, the Government decided not to proceed with the development of a national stadium at Abbotstown and instead to provide funding of €191million to the joint IRFU-FAI project for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road stadium. The Lansdowne stadium project has made very good progress and the company charged with delivery of the project, Lansdowne Road Stadium Development...

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: The Government has given a commitment in the programme for Government to complete a national audit of local sports facilities. This work is being undertaken as part of the development of a long-term strategic plan for the provision of sports facilities. There is no proposal at present to carry out an audit of the arts facilities in the country. An inter-agency steering group has been...

Written Answers — Tourist Accommodation: Tourist Accommodation (17 Nov 2005)

John O'Donoghue: As I have previously advised the House, I do not have responsibility for the registration and listing of tourist accommodation facilities as this is a day-to-day function of Fáilte Ireland under the National Tourism Development Authority Act 2003. However, I am aware that the bed and breakfast and guesthouse sector has experienced a loss in market share in recent years for a number of...