Results 481-500 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Sports Funding: Sports Funding (23 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: I refer to the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 296 of 26 May 2009. The position has not changed since then.

Written Answers — Sports Funding: Sports Funding (23 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: The funding of the Gaelic players grant schemes is a matter for the Irish Sports Council (ISC) in the context of the distribution of its budget for 2009. In light of the current economic constraints and the reduction in the ISC's allocation of funding in the 2009 Estimates, I am having ongoing discussions with the Council on optimum funding options, in order to maintain its existing...

Written Answers — National Cultural Institutions: National Cultural Institutions (17 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 and 127 together. I am unaware of any corporate bodies or individuals, who were granted arms in the period between 1943 and 2005, that have any basis for compensation in respect of the grant of arms made in that period. The arms were granted and accepted at the time and continue to be recognised to this day. As my Department is preparing legislation which...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (17 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: Satisfactory legal documentation in respect of the grants in question was received today by my Department and will be processed in the normal manner. The club in question was provisionally allocated €100,000 in total under the Sports Capital Programme in 2006 and 2007 towards dressing room and gymnasium development. The guidelines, terms and conditions for the programme specify that the...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: Government Policy on the Arts is set out in the Programme for Government and further elaborated in my Department's Statement of Strategy. My policy on the arts is to promote and strengthen the arts in all its forms, increase access to and participation in the arts, and make the arts an integral and valued part of our national life. In forthcoming years, it is my aim to continue to implement...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 63 together. The number of staff in the sports capital grants section of the Department is 14. These are all established civil servants. Two expenditure reviews of the Sports Capital Programme have been carried out to date. The first covered the period 1988 – 1998 while the second covered the period 1999 – 2002. Copies of these reviews are...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 57 together. I would like to refer the Deputy to priority question number 39 of today.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: The operation of the Artists Exemption scheme is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners under the terms of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. The original intention of the legislation was, inter alia, to create an environment in which the Arts could flourish and to encourage Irish artists to remain here rather than going abroad to earn their living. I fully support this scheme, which is in...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: As Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism I am committed to securing the best possible funding for the Arts Council and the arts sector generally. Future funding for the Arts Council will be addressed in the context of future Estimates processes. The Deputy will be aware that the Government must balance competing demands from every part of our economy and society. My policy on the arts is to...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: In keeping with its corporate objective to allocate resources in line with key objectives, as set out in its Statement of Strategy 2009 – 2011, the Department keeps its staffing requirements under constant review. The recent incentivised Early Retirement, Career Break and Shorter Working Year Schemes, aimed at reducing public service numbers, are currently being implemented in the...

Written Answers — Sports and Recreational Development: Sports and Recreational Development (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: The Irish Sports Council (ISC), which is funded by my Department, has statutory responsibility for encouraging the promotion, development and co-ordination of competitive sport and the achievement of excellence in competitive sport. In this regard the ISC works in partnership with the Irish Institute of Sport, the Olympic Council of Ireland, the Paralympic Council of Ireland and the relevant...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism's role in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of national policy providing the strategic direction required. Its remit is to support the growth of a competitive and sustainable tourism industry, enhancing its contribution to national economic and social goals, through the development, implementation and influencing of a range of policy...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: The Arts and Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme (ACCESS) is a key element in the Government's regional arts strategy and has greatly improved access to and participation in the arts for large numbers of people nationwide. The scheme has been widely acknowledged as a significant intervention in the provision of quality cultural spaces. In this regard, my Department has taken a direct...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: As I informed the Dáil on 3 March, I met with the heads of fifteen State tourism agencies, State arts bodies, and the cultural institutions, on 11 February, to begin the work of further developing the cultural tourism market. This was the first step in putting in place an initiative to further develop the potential of cultural tourism. This initiative will build, in the first instance, on...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: I refer the Deputy to previous replies on this issue. This matter was also addressed in a debate held on 26 May last in the Seanad where it was raised as an adjournment matter. As outlined in the course of that debate, when the Art and Education Report "Points of Alignment" was finalised, the Department held a number of meetings with the Arts Council and the Department of Education and...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: As the Deputy will be aware, immigration policy is primarily a matter for my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and its implementation is a matter for the relevant authorities, including the Garda National Immigration Bureau and the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service. The Department of Foreign Affairs is currently responsible for setting visa fees. However,...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Questions Nos. 92, 109 and 316 on 28th of April 2009. I can assure the Deputy that progress commensurate with the complexity of this issue and the efflux ion of time since that very recent question is being made.

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: Under the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme, which is administered by my Department and which has been closed to new applicants since July 2000, grant aid to a maximum of €3.8 million is provided to Local Authorities towards the capital costs of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools, subject in both cases to the total grant not exceeding 80% of the eligible cost of...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: I understand that 9% of the cars operated by the main taxi company used by the Department are wheelchair accessible. This company also has a policy of encouraging its drivers when changing their vehicles to take the accessibility issue into consideration. The amount spent by the Department on taxi hire in 2008 and to date in 2009 is set out in the table. Year Amount 2008 €23,425 2009...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (16 Jun 2009)

Martin Cullen: 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. Since 1998, over €725 million has been allocated to over 7,400 projects across the country.No decision has been made on the timing of...