Results 601-620 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Sports Funding. (25 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I share Deputy Upton's wish that we progress this matter quickly. Much good work has been done in the background to try to move this matter on. I have arranged for ongoing discussions between all sides. In the course of the coming weeks, I am confident that those discussions will come to a satisfactory conclusion. All sides are keeping the lines of communication open and are having...

Sports Funding. (25 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Irish Sports Council could play a role in these discussions as it is independent and its members have a wealth of experience. The council could be of considerable assistance. I pay tribute to inter-county players. They take a great deal of time off for training and they make a fantastic commitment. Playing inter-county nowadays is not like 20 years ago because it demands an enormous...

Departmental Expenditure. (25 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The funding of the Arts Council, as with all departmental and State agencies, is a matter for consideration under the annual budget and Estimates process. In doing so, the Government must balance competing demands from every part of our economy and society. I am aware of the Arts Council's desire to have multiannual budgets, having met the Council on a number of occasions. I appreciate the...

Departmental Expenditure. (25 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The programme for Government commits us to multiannual funding to the Arts Council, which should identify key areas for development for organisations or key strategies in the arts and to ensure increased arts activity is sustained and developed. The Government is committed to moving in that direction, particularly where key areas for development can be ring-fenced. Funding for the council...

Swimming Pool Projects. (25 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Under the National Development Plan 2007-2013, €184 million has been allocated for the provision of public swimming pools under the local authority swimming pool programme. The programme provides grant aid towards the capital costs of new public swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing public pools provided by local authorities themselves or by other bodies where the application for...

Swimming Pool Projects. (25 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: There is €25 million in the 2007 subhead, which will be spent in 2007. I take the Deputy's point. There are 57 projects either completed, open, under construction, out to tender or at contract document stage, so there has been significant activity in this area. Considerable funds have been invested by the taxpayer. Two things will now happen. My Department is to complete a...

Swimming Pool Projects. (25 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Some $25 million will be provided in 2007, the main overhang as the Deputy called it, in the sense that the money available in 2007 will be used to finish the 57 projects.

Swimming Pool Projects. (25 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: As far as I know that will finish the 57 projects.

Swimming Pool Projects. (25 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Of the 57, 28 are completed and open. Some 14 are under construction and three are out to tender. The €25 million is available in the Estimates this year to complete the 14 under construction and deal with those out to tender. If the Deputy is concerned the new allocation of €184 will be eaten into by the old programme, I do not believe it will. I will check that again.

State Airports. (25 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Minister for Transport is finalising an economic and tourism development plan for the wider Shannon Airport catchment area which has been prepared in consultation with the Departments of Finance; Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; and my own Department. The plan seeks to help the region respond to the challenges and opportunities emerging in...

Written Answers — Pre-Budget Submissions: Pre-Budget Submissions (24 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I have met with representatives of the Irish Hotels Federation on a number of occasions since my assumption of the Tourism portfolio and discussed its pre-budget submission and related matters. Such discussions were useful in understanding the concerns of the industry as the Government progresses its own work on the preparation of the forthcoming budget and the Departmental Estimates for 2008.

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (23 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 to 361, inclusive, together. Under the terms of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme grant aid is provided by my Department to local authorities towards the capital costs of a new or replacement public swimming pool or the refurbishment of an existing pool. The Programme provides for a maximum grant of €3.8million. Under the terms of the...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (23 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The preparation of an Annual Output Statement for my Ministerial Vote Group, which includes the National Gallery of Ireland, forms part of the Budget and Estimates Reform process introduced by my Cabinet colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen, T.D., and the first of such statements was prepared earlier this year. The Output Statements for my Department and for the...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (23 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 363 and 364 together. 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. The Arts Council's funding requirement for the year ahead will be addressed in the context of the 2008 Estimates. In doing so, the Government must balance competing demands from every part of...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (23 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: 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 2007 Sports Capital Programme was advertised in the national press in October 2006. The closing date for receipt of completed applications was 24th November 2006. Over 1,530 applications were...

Written Answers — Departmental Travel: Departmental Travel (23 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The policy of my Department in relation to frequent flyer points is governed by Department of Finance Circular 26/04 — The Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour. Section 16.2 of the Code states that 'benefits under frequent flier schemes may be retained by individual civil servants in recognition of the fact that official travel is disruptive to personal and family life'.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of my Department to date in 2007 is estimated as follows: € Total Paper Cost 32,000 Total Stationery Cost 72,000 Recycled Paper cost 2,000 It is my Department's policy to promote the increased usage of recycled paper as much as possible. However, due to the high cost of recycled products and due to lack of availability of certain...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (18 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Government's decentralisation programme announced in December 2003 did not include plans for the decentralisation of the National Museum to a location such as Kilkenny City and there are currently no plans to relocate the Museum to Kilkenny or to any other location outside of Dublin. The Deputy may be aware, however, that the Arts Council, which is one of the bodies under the aegis of my...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (18 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Funding of €904 million has been allocated in the National Development Plan (2007-2013) Culture sub-programme in respect of areas under the remit of my Department. €288 million of this amount has been allocated to Public Private Partnership (PPP) developments in relation to the new National Theatre and National Concert Hall. This figure reflects the Government investment in these two PPP...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (18 Oct 2007)

Séamus Brennan: 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 date of the next round of the Programme has not yet been decided. As in previous years, advertisements announcing the next round of the Programme will be placed in the national press and application...