Results 10,741-10,760 of 10,962 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Arts Policy (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: As outlined in the Programme for Government, the Government believes that culture and the arts are essential to a well-rounded society, providing opportunities for education, expression and community engagement. Ireland is world renowned for our rich, diverse and vibrant arts sector. There have been significant increases in support for arts and culture across the country, including Mayo, in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Culture Policy (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: The B7 Cultural Infrastructure & Development Subhead provides capital funding to support the arts capital programme of my Department. The objective of this programme is to assist arts and culture organisations, local authorities and National Cultural Institutions to upgrade their arts facilities or develop high quality, well-designed and sustainable facilities to maximise access to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Sports Funding (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) was established under the National Sports Policy, published on 25 July 2018, to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects, typically those requiring investments greater than the maximum available under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme, now known as the Community Sports Facilities Fund. The aim of the LSSIF...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Post Office Network (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Government is committed to a sustainable An Post and post office network as a key component of the economic and social infrastructure throughout Ireland. The Programme for Government states that the Government will continue to provide the nationwide network of post offices with funding to ensure their sustainability and enhance the value they bring to local communities. My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Media Sector (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Act provided for the establishment of Coimisiún na Meán as Ireland’s independent online safety and media regulator. The legislation also provided for a new regulatory framework for online safety, updated the regulatory frameworks in respect of broadcasting services and audiovisual on-demand media services and assigned to An...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Film Industry (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Pálás Arthouse Cinema Galway was operated by Element Pictures T/A Picture Palace Cinema Ltd for 7 years under a lease from Galway City Council. The cinema closed on 28 February 2025. The cinema operator offered to surrender the remainder of the lease to Galway City Council leaving all relevant moveable assets in place to allow any new operator to have the benefit of existing...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Sports Funding (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) was established under the National Sports Policy, published on 25 July 2018, to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects, typically those requiring investments greater than the maximum available under the Sports Capital & Equipment Programme (SCP). The first allocations under LSSIF were announced in January...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Film Industry (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: I understand that this Private Members Bill passed first stage in the Dáil on 10 June 2025. While quality employment is a key principle underpinning the operation of the Section 481 film tax relief, copyright is the responsibility of my Government colleague the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment while tax matters are the responsibility of the Minister for Finance. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Projects (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: In 2022, my Department identified the need to replace the existing Sports Capital Programme grant management systems ('OSCAR'). The Department approved Pobal, a state-sponsored agency, as the preferred provider to design and develop the new system. A departmental project team has been working with a Pobal project team to design the new systems. The anticipated deadline for delivery of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Reports (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Following my appointment as Minister, issues were brought to my attention regarding a failed ICT project in the Arts Council and an unused X-ray machine in the National Gallery. Both these projects were funded directly by my Department. Given the serious nature of these issues, I wanted assurance in relation to capital expenditure in other areas under the aegis of my Department. I...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Swimming Pools (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Previously, Government support for new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools was provided through the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme (LASPP). 52 pools have been completed under the LASPP with a Lucan project currently under construction. The pool underspend relates to slower than anticipated progress on this project, but I understand that the local authority is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Swimming Pools (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Ireland’s first National Swimming Strategy was published in August 2024 and includes an Action Plan containing over 50 actions across five thematic strands, focusing on providing improved facilities, increasing access for people with disabilities, improving the culture of inclusion, better coaching supports, increasing safety awareness and providing a pathway that allows for the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Culture Policy (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Creative Ireland Programme is an all-of-Government initiative led by my department that is designed to promote individual, community and national well-being. Its core proposition is that participation in cultural activity by everyone drives personal and collective creativity, with significant implications for individual and societal well-being and achievement. Since 2018, the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Sport and Recreational Development (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Female participation in sport is an important element of both the National Sports Policy 2018-2027 and the associated Sports Action Plan 2024-2027 and represents a core priority for me and my Department. This Government is committed to a "Sport for All" approach aimed at ensuring that all persons can partake equally in sport and physical activity, regardless of gender. This commitment is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Sports Funding (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Over a quarter of a billion euro was allocated to 3,048 community sports clubs and facilities in 2024 from the 2023 round of the Community Sport Facilities Fund (CSFF), representing the largest-ever investment in sports facilities in communities across Ireland. Provisional allocations to equipment only projects were announced on 16 May 2024 and applicants were advised that they should...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Post Office Network (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Government is committed to a sustainable An Post and post office network as a key component of the economic and social infrastructure throughout Ireland. The Programme for Government states that the Government will continue to provide the nationwide network of post offices with funding to ensure their sustainability and enhance the value they bring to local communities. My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: I have been advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that over 41,164 premises are now passed with a high-speed fibre broadband network and 45,746 available to order/pre-order in County Cork, with 14,429 premises now connected. A further circa 40,830 premises in County Cork will be passed by NBI’s high speed fibre broadband by the end of the contract. Further details are...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Pension Provisions (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Under Section 46 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 ('the Act'), I, as Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, with the concurrence of the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, approve any superannuation schemes submitted by An Post.In accordance with the Act, and the relevant section of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Sport and Recreational Development (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Sport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, including the recognition of sporting bodies for funding purposes.I have referred the Deputy's question to Sport Ireland for direct reply in relation to its role in the matter mentioned by the Deputy. I would ask the Deputy to inform my office if a reply is not received...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Film Industry (26 Jun 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Government supports for the audiovisual industry in Ireland includes the Section 481 tax relief and funding schemes provided by Screen Ireland and Coimisiún na Meán. A thriving audiovisual sector in Ireland requires a balance between domestic and incoming international production. Screen Ireland is the development agency for the Irish film, television and animation industry and...