Results 1,161-1,180 of 12,487 for speaker:John O'Donoghue
- Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (28 Feb 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The position on the Ballybofey-Stranorlar swimming pool project is that a feasibility study submitted by Donegal County Council under the local authority swimming pool programme was approved in 2001 and a preliminary report is in preparation by the local authority. The project will be considered further on receipt of this report. The question of planning permission is a matter for the local...
- Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (28 Feb 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Tourism Ireland's employment procedures are a day-to-day matter for the agency. Accordingly, I have asked Tourism Ireland to communicate directly with the Deputy in this matter.
- Leaders' Questions. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: He is rambling.
- Leaders' Questions. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Better than being the monkey.
- Active Citizenship. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Throw off the old sackcloth.
- Tourism Industry. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: As I previously advised the House in response to similar questions on 26 January 2006, individual actions and measures relating to tourism promotion or development at regional level are day-to-day functions of the State tourism agencies. To this end, Fáilte Ireland commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers just over a year ago to conduct a major study of regional tourism structures. The report was...
- Tourism Industry. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: There was a welcome increase of 6.5 million in the number of visitors to the country last year, which was the highest number ever to visit the State in one year. It is true, however, that all regions and sectors did not benefit equally and this is causing a difficulty for us. For example, the Dublin region increased by 11% whereas some regions increased only by small margins. In those...
- Departmental Investigations. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: On 31 January 2006, I requested Mr. Tim Dalton, former Secretary General of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, to carry out an independent assessment of issues relating to corporate governance in Bord na gCon as well as its management of positive tests for banned substances. The terms of reference of the independent investigation are as follows: to review the allegations of...
- Departmental Investigations. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I understand Bord na gCon would have had a meeting or meetings since this controversy arose. There will not be an interim report but a final report, which I trust will be comprehensive. On the question on the term of the chairman, Bord na gCon was set up on 28 May 1958 under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry....
- National Stadium. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: As the House is aware, in January 2004 the Government agreed, after considering a number of options, to provide funding of â¬191 million to the joint IRFU-FAI project for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road stadium. Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company, the company charged with the delivery of the project, has brought the design of the project to the planning stage and submitted a...
- National Stadium. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The Government decided unanimously to construct the new stadium at Lansdowne Road â that much is clear â and it has committed â¬191 million in this regard. The GAA congress agreed to allow international home rugby and soccer games to be played at its stadium in Croke Park while the Lansdowne Road stadium is being redeveloped, but not beyond its development. On the question of there being...
- National Stadium. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: No agreement was worked out with the GAA in respect of the opening of Croke Park. When I delivered the final tranche of â¬40 million to the GAA authorities, it was given with no conditions attached. I made it clear at the time and I do so again now that any decision on the opening of Croke Park for soccer, rugby or any other game is entirely a matter for the GAA. It will continue to be...
- Sports Facilities. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Work has commenced on the proposed national audit of sports facilities which is being undertaken by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism as part of the development of a long-term strategic plan for the provision of such facilities. A commitment to undertaking such an audit was included in 2002 in An Agreed Programme for Government, which covers the period up to 2007. The subgroup...
- Sports Facilities. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism is involved in a data-gathering exercise which will integrate information on facilities funded under programmes administered by it. When the database has been finalised, the present state and condition of the facilities will be established by means of a detailed questionnaire that will be issued to their owners and managers. Deputy Deenihan suggested...
- Sports Facilities. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The sports capital programme gives special attention to rural areas of disadvantage covered by the CLÃR programme and urban areas of disadvantage covered by the RAPID programme. Increased levels of grant aid are allocated to such areas by my colleague, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy à CuÃv. We are seeking to plug the gaps. The comprehensive audit of sports...
- Sports Facilities. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Yes.
- Sports Facilities. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Deputy Deenihan may have misunderstood what I am trying to say. The work currently undertaken by my Department is a data gathering exercise which will integrate information on facilities that have been previously funded under programmes administered by the Department. However, the audit will also seek to identify sports facilities provided by voluntary sports organisations, local authorities...
- Sports Facilities. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The experience in Northern Ireland was that it took more than three years to complete the audit. The audit will take some time and there is no point in pretending otherwise. The first step was to assess what has been achieved under the Department's sports capital programme. That has been carried out.
- Film Industry Development. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I warmly welcome the announcement by the Minister for Finance that the amount that can be raised under the section 481 scheme is to be increased from â¬15 million to â¬35 million, and that a new limit of 80% of the total production cost will replace the existing limits of 55% and 66%. This will do much to restore Ireland's competitiveness in the international marketplace, particularly for...
- Film Industry Development. (1 Mar 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Deputy Wall is correct to state that films are planned a long way in advance and that a certainty in the marketplace in necessary. People can be satisfied that this relief will continue. The former Minister for Finance, Mr. McCreevy, increased the cap to â¬15 million and extended the relief to the end of 2008. The current Minister for Finance has increased the cap to â¬35 million, which is...