Results 1,741-1,760 of 12,487 for speaker:John O'Donoghue
- Sports Facilities. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The proposed nationwide audit of sports facilities is being carried out in stages to help speed up the availability of information. The first phase of the audit will establish a record of national and regional sports facilities and is being carried out within my Department. The work being undertaken is a data gathering exercise in conjunction with the main sporting bodies and local...
- Sports Facilities. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: It is difficult to know when an effective and comprehensive national audit of local facilities will be completed. It is a major undertaking. The Sports Council in Northern Ireland embarked on a similar exercise in recent years, and it has taken between two and three years to identify the facilities. I am pleased with the progress of the sports capital programme since 1998. We have now...
- Sports Facilities. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: To the best of my knowledge, skateboard parks, playgrounds etc., are under the remit of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government or the Department of Health and Children.
- Sports Facilities. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: My Department's objective is to provide infrastructure for competitive sport.
- Sports Facilities. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: It will.
- Sports Facilities. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The audit is to ascertain what is available at present, and then to identify any facilities which are lacking in various areas and any existing gaps. This, in turn, will enable the Minister to fill those gaps.
- National Stadium. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 25 and 40 together. In January 2006, the Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company â LRSDC â the company charged with delivery of this project, submitted a planning application to Dublin City Council and then provided a detailed response to questions raised by the city council about that application. In the process of preparing the planning application...
- National Stadium. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I have given Deputy Wall my Department's perspective. However, a group of councillors operating through the local area committee does not agree with this and they have intimated that they will seek to have the house and the terrace on which it stands listed. Of course, their efforts so far have been unsuccessful, as the council heritage architect agreed the house was not of sufficient...
- National Stadium. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I must take it that Dublin City Council will listen to its own heritage architect and determine whether this particular issue should interfere with it in deciding whether to grant planning permission, and what conditions might apply. As far as I am concerned we, or at least the development group, replied to the issues which were raised by Dublin City Council. Those replies were comprehensive....
- National Theatre. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 19 and 21 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...
- National Theatre. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: KPMG has been commissioned to carry out a cost effectiveness analysis of the proposed relocation of the national theatre, the key objective of which was to establish the most effective way to achieve the redevelopment of the Abbey Theatre at George's Dock. In February, KPMG provided an outline of its report, which we made available to the NDFA and the OPW. The outline, inter alia, examines a...
- Tourism Promotion. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 11, 14, 342 and 343 together. As I have often said, maintaining and growing competitiveness is the major challenge facing the tourism industry. The industry operates in a fiercely competitive environment and faces major challenges if it is to remain on the path of sustainable and well dispersed growth. Tourism policy has been reviewed and re-invigorated...
- Tourism Promotion. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I will answer the final question first. The group established to examine the tourism industry and bring forward specific recommendations made more than 70 recommendations in its final report, New Horizons for Irish Tourism An Agenda for Action. This includes the question of interaction with State agencies, including local authorities, with a view to improving the product which also includes...
- Tourism Promotion. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I stated I was very pleased with the Central Statistics Office figures published earlier this month which showed a double digit growth in overall visitor numbers for the first four months of the year, driven by the British market which represented a growth of 12% or 127,000 visitors, which was quite considerable. The number of European visitors increased by more than one fifth, leading to an...
- Written Answers — Semi-State Bodies: Semi-State Bodies (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 13 and 47 together. The Arts Council is a statutory body under my Department's aegis, and is the principal channel through which State support is directed to the Arts. The Council is operationally independent of my Department, but it is understood from the Council that there are 143 works in the collection in question, which were jointly funded under the...
- Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The Expenditure Review of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme which my Department is carrying out is examining, among other things, how the programme has worked to date and what changes, if any, are required to ensure its effective and efficient delivery. A draft of the Expenditure Review has been prepared and will be considered shortly by the Steering Committee which is overseeing...
- Written Answers — Countryside Access: Countryside Access (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 23 together. Responsibility for legislation relating to public rights of way does not rest with my Department. Certain legislation bearing on public rights of way, under the Road Act 1993, is under the aegis of the Minister for Transport and, as the House is aware, the issue of public access to the countryside for recreation purposes is being dealt with...
- Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 46 together. I am, of course, aware of the submission from the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation in relation to the National Development Plan 2007-2013, a copy of which has been provided to my Department. Indeed, I met the Chairperson and the Chief Executive of ITIC earlier this week to discuss the submission and other issues. Work in relation to the...
- Written Answers — Greyhound Industry: Greyhound Industry (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17, 31, 39, 45 and 48 together. As I have stated already earlier in reply to priority questions number 1 and 2, it is my intention to fully implement the recommendations contained in the Dalton Report on Certain Matters Affecting Bord na gCon. I intend to proceed immediately to appoint a new Chairman, following which appropriate arrangements will be put in...
- Written Answers — National Aquatic Centre: National Aquatic Centre (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The National Aquatic Centre is operated under lease given by Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Ltd. CSID issued legal proceedings for the forfeiture of the lease due to the failure of the operators to comply with their obligations under the lease. A stay has been placed on the Order and Judgment of the High Court, and the case currently awaits allocation of a date for hearing of an...