Results 1,521-1,540 of 12,487 for speaker:John O'Donoghue

Greyhound Racing Industry. (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: It is my intention that women should be represented on the board of Bord na gCon. A woman from the Department was on the board until recently but unfortunately she resigned. I agree with the Deputy that it is important there is female representation on the board. With regard to accepting Deputy Deenihan's Bill, I will not pre-empt the contents or the recommendations of the Dalton report. As I...

Ryder Cup. (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17, 23 and 25 together. I am aware that concerns have been expressed about the risk of excessive prices being charged by certain elements of the Irish tourism and hospitality industry in the context of the Ryder Cup taking place in Ireland. The State tourism agencies are being particularly vigilant in this area and in all their dealings with the industry are...

Ryder Cup. (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: I do not think the chief executive of Tourism Ireland believes it is quite all right for people to raise prices by 20% to 25% just because a major event, the Ryder Cup, is being held in their locality. People should recognise that the tourism business is not a short-term one and does not exist for short-term gain. It is a long-term business. It is, quite simply, our single largest indigenous...

Ryder Cup. (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: The event has the capacity to be beamed to 1 billion people in 150 countries. A total of 56 million of those 1 billion people will be golfers.

Ryder Cup. (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: It is also the case that a deal was reached by the European tour with Sky. It is further the case that the designation did not meet with the criteria in accordance with the advice of the Attorney General so it was not possible to designate it. Even if it had been possible to designate, I must be honest and state we reached a deal with the European tour, in as much as we reach deals with other...

Ryder Cup. (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: In that context, from the time we commenced the sports tourism initiative, which is administered by Fáilte Ireland, we have sponsored a total of 102 events to the end of 2005 with a funding allocation of some €29.64 million. To date in 2006, the initiative has supported 16 events, not only in golf but also in other sports such as yachting, showjumping, rugby, athletics, motor racing and...

Ryder Cup. (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: I confirm to the Deputy that no contractual commitments were entered into.

Written Answers — Sports Funding: Sports Funding (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: There are two programmes administered by my Department through which funding is provided towards the development of sports facilities. These are the Sports Capital Programme and the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme. Under the national lottery-funded sports capital programme, funding is allocated to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 52 together. The main vehicle for capital funding through my Department is the Arts & Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme (ACCESS), under which almost €43 million was provided for arts and cultural facilities around the country. This scheme commenced in 2001 and many projects are still in the course of completion. I propose to circulate for...

Written Answers — Film Industry Development: Film Industry Development (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 32 and 90 together. The promotion and support for film activity in the State and for filming in Ireland is the responsibility of the Irish Film Board, an agency which, though funded by my Department, is independent of the Department in its day-to-day decision making. Funding from my Department for the Board amounts this year to €17.126M, an increase of...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: Last week, the CSO published the 4th Quarter results of its Household Travel Survey for 2005. For 2005 as a whole, domestic holiday trips were up 6.6% to 3.35 million on 2004 and expenditure on domestic travel was up 12% to €1.164bn. This performance is ahead of Fáilte Ireland's target of 4% growth and represents an endorsement by the Irish people of the holiday experience available at...

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 26 together. Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Limited, the company charged with developing the Sports Campus project, has drawn up a detailed proposal for the development of the sports campus at Abbotstown in a series of phases. Planning work for Phase One of the Development Control Plan is already underway and will provide: ∙a National Field...

Written Answers — National Theatre: National Theatre (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 41 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. On the basis of the...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: I received an invitation to deliver the Opening Address at the Laois-Offaly Tourism Conference "Real Green Tourism — Eco-tourism & Biodiversity in The Slieve Blooms". Unfortunately, due to an extremely busy schedule on that date, I was unable to accept the invitation. I suggested, instead, that a representative of Fáilte Ireland be invited to address the conference. I understand that a...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: I have appointed Mr. Seamus Mallon, former MP and MLA and Mr. Dick O'Sullivan, Manager, Punchestown Racecourse as members of the Board of Bord na gCon for a period of three years with effect from 23rd May 2006 to replace Mr Cathal Curley and Mr John Hegarty whose terms of office have expired.

Written Answers — Performing Arts: Performing Arts (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 42 together. I have requested my Department to ensure that the Government's requirement for the completion of an evaluation of the economic benefits of the proposed redevelopment of the National Concert Hall at Earlsfort Terrace is met at the earliest opportunity. To this end, my Department has arranged and completed a tender process and selected DKM...

Written Answers — Sports Grounds: Sports Grounds (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: My Department has allocated and paid out a total of €1,100,750 in grants allocated under the sports capital programme to the club in question towards developments at Dalymount over the past few years. This funding is protected by a Deed of Covenant and Charge which provides for a repayment of the grants should the property be sold or cease to be used for sporting proposes. Any decision...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: In 2005, Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland together spent almost €44m on advertising Ireland as a tourist destination. As the Deputy will be aware, Tourism Ireland is responsible for marketing the island of Ireland overseas. In delivering its marketing programme last year, Tourism Ireland, which is jointly funded by the Irish and British Exchequers, spent over €35m on advertising,...

Written Answers — Sports Governing Bodies: Sports Governing Bodies (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: With the support of the Minister for Agriculture and Food, last year I invited Mr. Michael Dowling, former Secretary General of the Department of Agriculture and Food to chair a group which was asked to develop proposals for the establishment of a new national governing body for horse sport. Representatives of the Equestrian Federation of Ireland, the Irish Horse Board, the Irish Sports...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (31 May 2006)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 96 together. My Department does not compile multi-annual forecasts for tourism numbers on a county or regional basis. However, the New Horizons Review of Irish Tourism Policy, published in October 2003, set ambitious growth targets for the industry up to 2012 — namely that it would attract annual visitor numbers of 10 million and €6 billion in...