Results 1,841-1,860 of 12,487 for speaker:John O'Donoghue
- Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (24 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Under the Arts and Culture Facilities Sub-measure, funding is provided for commissioning new infrastructure or enhancements of existing infrastructure for the arts and in particular integrated arts centres, theatres, museums and galleries as well as arts studios and other arts production, creative and performance spaces. The spend to end 2005 under this sub measure is just over â¬18m. The...
- Written Answers — Tribunals of Inquiry: Tribunals of Inquiry (24 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Since the establishment of my Department in June 2002 no money has been spent on tribunal legal fees.
- Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (24 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, allocates funding to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. The programme is advertised on an annual basis. The 2007 round of the sports capital programme was advertised on Sunday 15th and Monday 16th October last with a closing date for receipt of applications of...
- Written Answers — Repatriation of Archives: Repatriation of Archives (24 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: As I indicated then the National Archives of Ireland is engaged in a number of major digital publication projects. While these projects are now more advanced, they are not yet complete. When these are nearing completion, the National Archives has undertaken to investigate the possibility of a co-operative digital publication, involving those records held in the British National Archives. As...
- Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (25 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: My Department supports capital arts projects through the Arts and Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme or ACCESS scheme. Under the ACCESS Scheme, a total of â¬45.71m was made available in grant aid to 44 projects nationwide. In August of this year I announced a new capital grants scheme, called ACCESS II. The primary focus of the scheme will be the refurbishment and enhancement of...
- Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (25 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: My Department is completing an Expenditure Review of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme at present. The Review 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. The Review is currently being finalised and I would hope that it will be published before year end. On completion...
- Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 31 (26 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: But of course.
- Order of Business (26 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: It has been de-promised.
- Sports Capital Programme. (26 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The sports capital programme administered by my Department allocates funding to sporting and community organisations, local authorities and, in certain circumstances, schools and colleges, throughout the country. Priority is given to projects essential to improve sports performance or participation and, of these, the highest priority is given to projects in disadvantaged areas. The...
- Sports Capital Programme. (26 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: It is open to any school to make an application under the sports capital programme jointly with a club or clubs. As Deputy Deenihan will be aware, our concern is to ensure sufficient facilities in communities for use by everyone in the community. We have been successful in this respect to date. Since 1998, more than â¬470 million has been spent on facilities across the country and 5,721...
- Sports Capital Programme. (26 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: There is a good programme in operation in schools across the country, namely, the Buntús programme under the auspices of the Irish Sports Council. Our primary objective is to ensure sports facilities are made available and improved for all members of the community. Children in schools are as much at liberty to utilise community facilities as anyone else. I am conscious that an appropriate...
- Art Collections. (26 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Following my intervention with the Dublin Airport Authority, the Great Southern Hotel group returned all the works in its possession to the OPW last month. This followed a period of research by the visual arts consultant appointed by the Arts Council, who made visits to each of the Great Southern Hotels to codify the works. The Arts Council is confident that all works in Great Southern...
- Art Collections. (26 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Arrangements are entered into with local authorities by the national cultural institutions from time to time to ensure items go on display in the regions and I encourage this. The Dublin Airport Authority returned 91 works from the Great Southern Hotel Group to the State and they are now in its possession. Arrangements are being made for their exhibition. We are still pursuing the remainder...
- Tourism Industry. (26 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The New Horizons report of the tourism policy review group found widespread acceptance of the importance of good management practices in maintaining and enhancing the attractiveness of both the built and natural environments. However, rapid growth has resulted in pressures on the environment, including congestion, some inappropriate development and waste management systems that may not be...
- Tourism Industry. (26 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The Department is responsible for national tourism policy and in its work it seeks to influence the policies of other key Departments and agencies on matters that impact on the tourism agenda. It has little or no involvement in direct regulation of tourism. On the tourism side, it works through its agencies as far as environmental issues are concerned; the key agency is Fáilte Ireland. As...
- Tourism Industry. (26 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The Deputy presents an unduly dismal picture of tourism performance in recent years and I am glad to have the opportunity to put the position in context. In 1996, 4.7 million people visited Ireland and foreign earnings from these visitors amounted to â¬1.79 billion, excluding passenger fare receipts. In 2005, we hosted almost 7 million visitors who generated foreign earnings of more than...
- Tourism Industry. (26 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: There is no denying that tourism is a good news story. The number of visitors has doubled since the 1990s, a development which most people will strongly welcome. I anticipate that this year will be the best year for tourism since the foundation of the State. Growth levels are expected to be very strong. We know that traffic from the United States, whose visitors, as Deputy Deenihan...
- Tourism Industry. (26 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The Deputy will be aware that issues of taxation are a matter for the Minister for Finance and that I am not at liberty to discuss the possible contents of the next budget. Ireland has a distinct model of economic development. A key part of this model is a low direct tax take on income which is balanced by a higher tax take on consumption. This approach has proven very successful and I...
- Tourism Industry. (26 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Recently, I launched the review of the North American market. The survey was comprehensive and established that visitors to Ireland are generally happy with accommodation prices. Only 10% complained about accommodation prices. According to the review, the three issues about which people complained most were eating out in restaurants, golf and car hire. However, while people complained...
- Tourism Industry. (26 Oct 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Registered hotels are obliged to notify the maximum rack rent they will charge for the following season to Fáilte Ireland. They are prohibited from charging above that rack rent. The difficulty highlighted by Deputy Wall relates to hotels which for a long period of the year charge X amount and suddenly increase their price to X plus Y, up to the maximum amount of the rack rent which they...