Results 661-680 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (26 Sep 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Feasibility Study submitted by Roscommon County Council in relation to the Ballaghaderreen swimming pool project is currently being considered by my Department and I expect to be in a position to make a decision on the matter shortly.

Written Answers — Arts Council: Arts Council (26 Sep 2007)

Séamus Brennan: 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 consideration of the Estimates for the Public Services for 2008. The Deputy will be aware that in that context the Government must balance competing...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (26 Sep 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Arts & Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme (ACCESS), which commenced in 2001, provides grants for the development of arts and cultural facilities around the country. This scheme has transformed the level of access to arts and cultural activities for a great many people in all parts of the State. In April 2007 a second round of ACCESS funding was announced and a total of €32m...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (26 Sep 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The organisation in question has capital funding from the Sports Capital Programme and current funding from the Irish Sports Council. Under the Sports Capital Programme an amount of €700,000 was awarded to the organisation in 2006 and no application for funding was received in 2007. In addition to this funding, local clubs throughout the country affiliated to the organisation also...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (26 Sep 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Under the sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, funding is allocated to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country towards the provision of sporting facilities. The programme is advertised on an annual basis. Since 2003, Kilbarrack United Football Club has been allocated a total of €510,000 under the...

Written Answers — Tourism Revenue: Tourism Revenue (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Following Ireland's successful hosting of the Ryder Cup in September of last year, Fáilte Ireland, in conjunction with the PGA / European Tour, commissioned Deloitte and Touche, Consultants, to conduct an economic impact assessment on the Ryder Cup in Ireland. According to the Report, the findings of which were announced in April last, the 2006 Ryder Cup was worth a record €143 million...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (5 Jul 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 towards the provision of sport and recreational facilities. In total, since 1998, capital funding of €568 million has been allocated in respect of 6,716 projects all over Ireland, as well as several major...

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The nationwide audit of sports facilities has commenced and is being carried out in stages to help speed up the availability of information. Phase One is being carried out within my Department and will establish a record of national and regional sports facilities. The audit is part of a wider exercise to put in place a more strategic approach to the provision of sports facilities in Ireland....

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I would like to put on record my pride and delight at the outstanding performance of the Irish Cricket Team who qualified for the Super Eight stage at the Cricket World Cup in the West Indies. This was an unprecedented achievement for the Irish Cricket Team. The sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, is the primary means of providing funding to sporting clubs,...

Written Answers — National Concert Hall: National Concert Hall (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The National Concert Hall, within its limited space at Earlsfort Terrace, is highly energetic and operates with a strong commercial market focus. Seat occupancy consistently exceeds 80% with patrons being turned away from many "house full" events. The Government has decided to redevelop the Concert Hall which will incorporate a main auditorium with a seating capacity for 2,000 patrons, the...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: My legislative priorities for 2007 are the Irish Sports Council (Amendment) Bill and the Bord na gCon (Amendment) Bill. The purpose of the Irish Sports Council (Amendment) Bill is to provide for the granting of powers to the Irish Sports Council to establish subsidiary companies which will facilitate the establishment of the Irish Institute of Sport and Coaching Ireland. The Bord na gCon...

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: My Department is completing an Expenditure Review of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme at present. The Review is examining, among other things, how the programme has worked to date and what changes, if any, are required to ensure its effective and efficient delivery. Thereafter, following consideration of the recommendations in the Review, it is my intention to launch a new round...

Written Answers — Local Development Programme: Local Development Programme (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: My Department will shortly engage with the relevant tourism bodies in order to establish how the commitment in the Programme for Government to "investigate the feasibility of a Regional Conference Centre in the Shannon/Limerick area" can best be progressed.

Written Answers — Horseracing Industry: Horseracing Industry (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Ireland offers a unique racing experience to the race going public both at home and abroad. I am satisfied that Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), in close collaboration with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, is very much engaged in marketing that unique experience internationally. HRI, as the national authority for racing, includes within its remit, the representation of Irish racing abroad....

Written Answers — Stadium Development: Stadium Development (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 28 and 34 together. As the House is aware, in January 2004, the Government agreed to provide funding of €191m towards the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road Stadium as a 50,000 capacity all-seater state-of-the-art facility. The decision in March last by An Bord Pleanála to grant permission for the project cleared the way for the redevelopment of Lansdowne...

Written Answers — National Aquatic Centre: National Aquatic Centre (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Deputies will be aware that the National Sports Campus Development Authority has taken over the role and function of CSID since 1 January 2007. A fully owned subsidiary of the Authority, NSCDA (Operations) Ltd., is now operating the National Aquatic Centre. A full "health check" has been carried out on the National Aquatic Centre since it came back into the possession of CSID on 1 December...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The National Development Plan's Tourism Development Programme, which provides for an €800m Exchequer investment in tourism over the next 7 years, has as one of its fundamental objectives the stimulation of regional development. The Programme includes an "International Marketing" sub-programme which provides €335m to promote the island of Ireland in key international markets. The key...

Written Answers — Sports Funding: Sports Funding (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The joint GAA/GPA proposal submitted to my Department in April in relation to player welfare issues for inter-county players did not take account of my Department's position which had been clearly set out on a number of occasions. The GAA has been requested to submit a proposal which would be in line with that position. Responsibility for player welfare issues rests with the GAA in the same...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Arts Council is the main channel for Government support to the arts. However, the Arts Council does not provide funding for private, commercial arts organisations such as private galleries. My Department provides capital funding through the Arts and Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme (ACCESS) for the building of arts and culture facilities around the country, mainly in the...

Written Answers — Museum Projects: Museum Projects (5 Jul 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Some 155 applications were received seeking funding of over €200m under the recently completed round of the Arts & Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme (ACCESS II). This demand greatly exceeded the total funding of €32m available for disbursement under this round of the scheme. An independent Selection Committee, appointed to evaluate all the applications received, made funding...