Results 421-440 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor (National Convention Centre) Bill 2010: Second and Subsequent Stages (25 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a gabháil leis na Seanadóirí for their support of the Bill which will add to the facilities on offer and enhance the tourism product available. On the specific issues raised, Senator O'Donovan asked about the Good Friday position. If a convention event takes place on a Sunday or Good Friday, the rules I outlined would apply rather than the normal licensing...

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (20 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The management of this swimming pool, and any decision on the reopening of the pool, is entirely a matter for its Board of management. I understand that the pool is closed to the public at present pending a decision on its refurbishment, and that the Board of management is at present awaiting a report on the extent and cost of this refurbishment. The current round of the Local Authority...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 48, 182, 186 and 187 together. Since my appointment as Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, I have met the Chairs and Chief Executives of the tourism agencies – Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Shannon Development. I have also met a broad selection of the main representative bodies in the tourism sector as well as a wide range of individuals at...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Sports Capital Programme allocates funding to sporting and to voluntary and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. The programme is advertised in the national print media. All applications received under the programme are assessed on an individual basis by the Department in accordance with a detailed set of assessment criteria as specified...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I am fully committed to reform of the public service, including in relation to the Agencies operating under the aegis of my Department, so as to ensure value for money for the public, particularly in current difficult and challenging economic circumstances. Since becoming Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport in March 2010, I have not been specifically requested to engage in an...

Written Answers — EU Meetings: EU Meetings (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Due to prior diary commitments, I was unable to attend the informal meeting referred to by the Deputy. I was however represented at senior official level by an Assistant Secretary from my Department. Given the informal status of the meeting, I understand that the majority of delegations were represented at official rather than political level. The informal meeting approved the "Madrid...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Under the Sports Capital Programme, which is administered by my Department, and part funded from the proceeds of the National Lottery, funding is allocated to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. The information that the Deputy requested in relation to the level of outstanding commitments for each year is set out in the table below...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 174 together. The rationale for the amalgamation of the National Archives with the Irish Manuscripts Commission and the National Library stems from the need to arrange the resources available to the national cultural institutions in the most cost effective structure possible. The continuing need to reduce public expenditure means that we cannot remain...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54, 57 and 59 together. I recently met with representatives of the Irish Rugby Football Union who briefed me on the organisation's opposition to the proposals by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to make a number of additions to the current list of designated events of major importance to society, thus making them free-to-air for...

Written Answers — Women's Participation in Sport: Women's Participation in Sport (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the Irish Sports Council, which is funded by my Department, has a statutory role in the promotion, development and coordination of sport which includes responsibility for increasing participation in sport by all, including women and girls. The ISC was established on a statutory basis on 1st July, 1999, and the functions of the Council are outlined in Section 6 of...

Written Answers — Sports Funding: Sports Funding (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Now that there is a specific EU competence for sport under the Lisbon Treaty, the cooperation and coordination between Member States will be formalised, and the Commission has indicated its intention to adopt a new Communication setting out its suggested plans and priorities for European Union action to promote European sporting issues, as well as a possible proposal for a spending programme...

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Parliamentary Questions Nos. 58 and 184 together. One of my Department's high-level goals – as set out in its current Statement of Strategy - is to promote close co-operation between the arts and culture, sport and tourism sectors in order to enhance their shared contribution to the social and economic well being of the country. Significant progress has been made in...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Government's policy is to promote and strengthen the arts in all its forms, including drama, to increase access to and participation in the arts, and to make the arts an integral and valued part of our national life. More specific commitments are set out in the Renewed Programme for Government. My policy on the arts is to promote and strengthen the arts in all its forms, including...

Written Answers — Abbey Theatre: Abbey Theatre (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Office of Public Works, my Department and the Abbey Theatre, with relevant external technical input, has commenced an assessment of the GPO complex to ascertain if it is a feasible location for the redeveloped national theatre. The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and An Post are also engaged in this process. The development of a new national theatre project is...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Since my appointment last March as Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport I have not had the opportunity to personally meet with other Departments to specifically discuss access to broadband facilities. The matter has however, been raised on a number of occasions at official level since the publication of the Tourism Renewal Group's report in September 2009. Government policy relating to...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, tourism was specifically identified in the Good Friday Agreement as a one of the key areas for North/South cooperation, and consequently it is one of the sectors on which the North/South Ministerial Council meets in Sectoral format. The Council meets in this format in order to make decisions on common policies and approaches in the area of tourism. It also takes...

Written Answers — National Concert Hall: National Concert Hall (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I would like to confirm my Departments support for the redevelopment of the National Concert Hall. The procurement stage of the redevelopment of the National Concert Hall is currently being progressed by the National Development Finance Agency. In accordance with the Government Decision, the project was tendered, on a design, build, finance and maintain PPP project basis. Two participating...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Responsibility for the horse and greyhound industries was transferred from the Department to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by the making of a transfer of departmental administration and ministerial functions order which came into effect on 1 May. The function has been transferred back to the section in the Department of Agriculture from which it had transferred in 2002,...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The following table sets out the grants paid by my Department on each project under the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Capital Development Programme in each of the last five years. County Paid in 2006 € Paid in 2007 € Paid in 2008 € Paid in 2009 € Cois na hAbhna, Ennis Clare 86,701 509,167 1,140,440 162,588 St Senan's, Kilrush Clare 34,248 156,673 578,951 46,332 Ennistymon...

Written Answers — Sports Sponsorship: Sports Sponsorship (19 May 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Unprecedented levels of Government funding for sport over the last number of years reflect the huge social and economic benefits of sport. As result of investments by the Department in sporting facilities in the last 10 years through the Sports Capital Programme and the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme, people now have more opportunities to play and compete in a vast array of sports...