Results 1,901-1,920 of 12,487 for speaker:John O'Donoghue

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: There is a need to increase the level of women's participation in sport and physical activity, as less than one in five women come close to achieving what the World Health Organisation deems to be the minimum levels of physical activity necessary for good health. Research by the Economic and Social Research Institute into participation rates indicated that 25% of women participate in sport...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: The development and delivery of the campaign referred to by the Deputy is an operational matter for Tourism Ireland. I understand that the campaign is being rolled out in Great Britain, the United States and Continental Europe and incorporates a strong focus on promoting a wider regional spread of visitors. The core elements of the marketing campaign include advertising on television and...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: On 24th August last, I announced additional investment of €16.4 million in the arts and culture sector, which is to be divided between the Arts Council, the Irish Film Board and theatre and arts organisations throughout the country. This allocation was as a direct result of savings that have been made in my Department. A total of 29 arts and cultural projects will benefit from the funding...

Written Answers — National Stadium: National Stadium (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: In January 2004, the Government agreed to provide funding of €191million, phased over 5 years, to the joint IRFU/FAI project for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road Stadium as a 50,000-seat stadium. The estimated total cost of the project is €365m and the IRFU and FAI will provide the balance of €174m. On 31 July 2006, Dublin City Council granted planning permission for the project,...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: While responsibility for funding of school sports facilities rests with the Department of Education and Science, it is open to projects located on school grounds to apply for funding for sports facilities accessible also to the wider community under my Department's sports capital programme. Applications to the programme from primary and post-primary schools and colleges must be made jointly...

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: Under the current round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme the following projects have been/are being dealt in the Dublin area to date: Pool Project Status Funding allocated €m Finglas (replacement pool) Completed 3.8 Ballymun (replacement pool) Completed 3.8 Ballyfermot (replacement pool) under construction 3.8 Jobstown (new) under construction 3.8 Clondalkin...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: The Government believes that Ireland's strategic interest in aviation is best served by the provision of regular, safe, cost-effective and competitive air services linking the country to key business and tourism markets around the world. The strategic aim in selling a majority of the Government's shares in Aer Lingus is to ensure that the company has sufficient resources, over the long-term,...

Written Answers — Sports Sponsorship: Sports Sponsorship (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: On 22 September 2004, my colleague the Minister for Health & Children launched the Second Report of the Strategic Task Force on Alcohol. My Department and the Irish Sports Council were represented on this Task Force. The Report recommended that national sporting bodies, with high youth participation, develop a proactive strategy to find an alternative to alcohol sponsorship. I support this...

Written Answers — Sports Funding: Sports Funding (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 129 together. Under Subhead C1 of my Department's Vote, payments are made in respect of Grants for Sporting Bodies and the provision of Sports and Recreational Facilities. A total of €67,724,000 is available for expenditure in 2006 under this subhead. The total amount of grant allocations relating to this sub-head for the years requested by the Deputy...

Written Answers — National Theatre: National Theatre (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 56 and 59 together. In July 2006, the Government approved arrangements for the redevelopment of the Abbey Theatre at George's Dock on a Build, Finance, and Maintain (BFM) basis. It also approved the holding of an international design competition for the new Abbey Theatre. Once a winning design has been selected the building will be procured by means of a...

Written Answers — National Aquatic Centre: National Aquatic Centre (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: During severe weather conditions in the west Dublin area on 1 January 2005, damage was caused to the roof of the National Aquatic Centre. Consulting Structural and Civil Engineers, Kavanagh Mansfield & Partners, were commissioned to examine the damage and oversee the repairs. Repair works at the National Aquatic Centre were completed on 20 May 2005 and the Centre was reopened to the public on...

Written Answers — National Concert Hall: National Concert Hall (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: The Government has agreed to the redevelopment of the National Concert Hall at its existing location on Earlsfort Terrace. It is proposed that the redeveloped Concert Hall will incorporate a main auditorium with a seating capacity for 2,000 patrons, the existing auditorium which will be retained as a rehearsal hall and a mid-scale public performance space, and a smaller flexible hall with a...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: The compilation and dissemination of Tourism and Travel Statistics is primarily an operational matter for the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and its publications are available to the Deputy. In terms of travel to Ireland, the picture, I am glad to say, is a healthy one. Last year, almost 7 million overseas visitors came to Ireland with an associated spend on the ground of almost €3.5...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: Tourism is a services industry, which relies heavily on labour, and Irish public policy operates on the basis of seeking to ensure that those in employment are paid fair wages. Our fiscal model also emphasises indirect as opposed to direct taxation. While both these approaches provide a strong economic development impetus, they can impact on consumption costs for the visitor. The Tourism...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127, 128 and 130 together. On 24 July last, I announced a new scheme to support investment in arts and culture infrastructure. This new scheme called ACCESS II or the Arts and Culture Enhancement Support Scheme II, will run from 2007 to 2009. The scheme is intended to provide a further impetus to the development of arts and culture facilities thereby...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (26 Oct 2006)

John O'Donoghue: The elements of my Department's Vote which are part-funded by proceeds of the National Lottery are as follows: Subhead C.1 — Grants for sporting bodies and for the provision of sports and recreational facilities under the Sports Capital Programme; Subhead C.3 — Grant-in-Aid provided to the Irish Sports Council in respect of general assistance to sports organisations and expenditure in...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 Nov 2006)

John O'Donoghue: According to my Department's records no expenditure has been incurred by my Department on photographers for events and publicity leaflet production in my constituency from 2004 to date.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (1 Nov 2006)

John O'Donoghue: As the Deputy has indicated, the Arts Council, one of the State bodies under the aegis of my Department, has been selected under the Government's Decentralisation Programme to relocate to Kilkenny. However, the Decentralisation Implementation Group (DIG) has not identified it as one of the 'early mover' organisations. The current position is that the Arts Council has prepared a revised...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (2 Nov 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 and, from the latter date, application forms and...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (2 Nov 2006)

John O'Donoghue: My Department, excluding the National Archives, i.e. approximately 130 posts, will be transferring to Killarney under the Government's Decentralisation programme. Nine members of staff working in my Department indicated that they wished to relocate to Killarney. However, overall the number of applications received under the Central Applications Facility (CAF) exceeds the numbers required for...