Results 2,721-2,740 of 10,569 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works (5 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: The 2019, 2020 and 2021 visitor numbers to each heritage site managed by the OPW are shown in the table below. The visitor numbers include data from people-counters which provide data on either an annual or quarterly basis. It is, therefore, not possible to give a full breakdown of visitor numbers by month. Due to this, and other checking and audit requirements that support the veracity of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Monuments (5 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Office of Public Works is a lead agency in the areas of conservation, preservation and presentation of cultural and heritage properties and is responsible for the day-to-day maintenance, operation andpresentation of National Monuments and Historic Properties in State care. There are 780 National Monuments in the care of the OPW with Visitor services provided at in excess of 70 sites...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Monuments (5 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: The total revenue generated from visitor entrance fees at heritage sites managed by the OPW in 2019, 2020, 2021 and up to 31 August in 2022 is shown in the table below. A small number of sites do not have an admission charge. In response to Covid 19, the admission charges at many sites were waived during 2020 and 2021 to support the national tourism recovery agenda. Site Name...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works (5 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: In 2021, there were approximately 900,000 visitors to Kilkenny Castle and Parklands of which 141,328 were ticketed visitors to the Castle. Provisional ticketed visitor numbers to Kilkenny Castle up to end September 2022 are 356,706. Please note that this number has not been fully audited and is subject to change. The number of visitors to the Parklands to date in 2022 is not available....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Industry (5 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth(DCEDIY) is the lead Department, with the OPW as the contracting authority managing the site preparation and the acquisition and installation of the modular units on the sites. The rollout of the modular homes programme is classified as a ‘matter of extreme urgency’ under the EU Directive governing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (5 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: 192. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional seats on school buses that have been allocated in County Limerick from the last academic school year, 2021/2022 and this school year, 2022/2023 since the announcement that students availing of the school bus transport scheme would not be charged fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48875/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Island Communities (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: As for the seals on the beach, which Deputy Griffin and I saw with the OPW when we were there, the OPW has a plan to improve the signage and to erect appropriate signage on the island ahead of the 2023 visitor season on foot of the requests made on the day we were there. The OPW has been in dialogue with the National Parks and Wildlife Service to make sure that this is done properly. As...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Island Communities (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 107 together. The OPW's involvement with An Blascaod Mór goes back to 1988 with Ionad an Bhlascaoid being developed with assistance from the locally based voluntary group, Fondúireacht an Bhlascaoid. The centre was first officially opened to the public in April 1994. The centre plays a critical role in the cultural life of Dún Chaoin...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank Deputy Dillon for raising this issue again. In October 2020, the Office of Public Works, OPW, submitted the documentation for confirmation for the Crossmolina flood relief scheme to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, under the Arterial Drainage Act 1945, as amended. As part of this process, the Department sought and the OPW provided it with supplementary information in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: Regarding the process here, it is designed under the Arterial Drainage Act 1945, as amended, which is old but powerful and useful legislation to get infrastructure built on our rivers. In the OPW and in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, our parent Department, we have had some discussion around the assessment and consenting process that could potentially be used. I know this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: The OPW and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, to a greater extent, are in an invidious position here because while they are the consenting and assessment authority, they are also the paymasters. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has made ample money available to us in the OPW to carry out the works, so that is not an issue in this context. The issue is that if...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank Deputy Connolly for raising this question. The Office of Public Works, OPW, has a significant and diverse office accommodation portfolio distributed throughout the country, comprising 890,488 sq. m at the end of 2021 and including a range of differing types of office provision, from heritage buildings to brand new grade A office accommodation. The issue, which Deputy Connolly has...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: As I said to the Deputy, on the previous occasion when we discussed this matter, I did not, nor does the Office of Public Works, disagree with her. We agree, in fact, but there are circumstances where we will have urgent needs. For example, if a tribunal is to be established and there is a requirement in the here and now for office accommodation, the OPW will not have the benefit of going...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Deputy is correct in that this will change even more in the next six, 12, or 18 months where we have a new blended working environment. We will now have situations, which we all have had already through the OPW-led campaign on energy consumption in public buildings, including this very building, where on some days we may have 10% to 15% occupancy. We will need to have very difficult...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: I presume the Deputy, as a great proponent of the public service, is not suggesting we would do anything else other than what Deputy Connolly said a while ago and that the Deputy is in fact on our side. I presume from his political and philosophical background that he is a great-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: -----proponent of the Office Public Works. I will say, however, that in respect of disused Garda stations, the Office Public Works has written, rung and engaged with local authorities throughout the country on umpteen occasions to take these buildings off us. In many cases they are perfectly suitable for either local authority accommodation itself or for housing accommodation. Some of them...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Management (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: I am informed that a Flood Alleviation Options Assessment for Flooding at Ballycar Loughwas initiated by Iarnród Éireann and was completed by Consultant Engineers RPS in December 2020. This assessment study built on previous reports of 2011 and 2015 commissioned by Iarnród Éireann. Having considered all various options, the assessment study recommends a new preferred...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Management (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Glashaboy River Flood Relief Scheme at Glanmire / Sallybrook, Cork is being progressed by Cork City Council. The Office of Public Works (OPW) in partnership with Cork City Council are engaging proactively to progress the flood relief scheme for Glanmire. The Glashaboy Flood Relief Scheme was confirmed in January 2021 by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform under the Arterial...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Management (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: I will outline those flood projects currently in progress by the Office of Public Works. On 22 September, I was delighted to unveil a plaque inCarrowhollymarking the substantial completion of the Carrowholly Flood Relief scheme. This scheme is protecting 14 properties at a cost of €984,000. The scheme is one of some 40 schemes and €2.3 million approved investment in County Mayo...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Management (4 Oct 2022)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Flood Risk Management Plans launched in May 2018 included a recommendation to progress the design, planning and construction of a flood relief scheme for Bantry. A Steering Group, comprising of representatives from the Office of Public Works and Cork County Council, is in place to progress this Flood Relief Scheme protecting some 198 properties. In February 2022 I visited Bantry...