Results 661-680 of 9,810 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Facilities (13 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: It is taken that the Deputy is referring to the National Digital Database of Sporting and Recreational Facilities which has been under development by Sport Ireland, the authority responsible for the development of sport in Ireland. In October 2023, I joined Sport Ireland to launch the "Get Ireland Active" database, which is now operational. It is the definitive resource for information,...

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach agus leis an Aire. Gabhaim buíochas le comhaltaí an choiste as deis a thabhairt domsa labhairt leo inniu maidir le Meastachán Athbhreithnithe 2024 ó thaobh an spóirt de. Is €209 milliún leithdháileadh 2024 do sheirbhísí spóirt agus fóillíochta, méadú 12%...

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The bid started before my time with the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin. Our Department received correspondence from the Department in the North last summer saying that they did not really want to go ahead with the bid. They could not go ahead with it really because the political direction was not there. Had that letter not arrived I would have had engagements in Paris with...

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Absolutely. We are in discussion with the Department of public expenditure on the capital programme and the velodrome has planning permission. We want to see it built but we require funding in the national development plan to do that. We are working on that as we speak.

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: On the hosting of a match, from time to time the Government gives financial support to the hosting of particular matches or events. This year the Europa League final is on in Dublin and there is substantial Government support for that match and Dublin City Council is supporting it too. That has of course been in the planning for some time. The budget we have this year is the same as last...

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: On the international sporting situation, the Government and I have absolutely no influence or jurisdiction over any international sporting body. Those organisations work on the international level. Many are based in Switzerland and some of the really big ones are almost like international organisations themselves, such is their influence. They certainly do not take direction from...

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The Deputy might describe it as that, but I will tell him what will end up happening. The events this week with the photographs and the allegations of antisemitism are absolutely wrong and should be condemned, but-----

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I am sorry, but the pressure before that was on Basketball Ireland. There has been pressure for months. There were protests up there in Tallaght for months before this happened. The pressure should not be on that body. I guarantee the Deputy we will have the same pressure with the next fixture that happens in a different sport which is coming up very soon. I can say with certainty that...

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Okay, that is a different position from calling for the Irish basketball team not to take part in a match. That is a totally different position. Sinn Féin is entitled to argue its point and go to FIBA or any of the sporting organisations and do that, but that is a different position from saying Ireland should withdraw itself from those competitions.

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: That is not-----

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: That is something that, in terms of the events this week, Basketball Ireland has done. We will support Basketball Ireland in whatever decision it takes and give it whatever help it needs. Sometimes we have conversations with that organisation. However, we cannot get involved because we do not have a role in international sporting organisations. The Deputy's position is that Israel should...

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: -----he would have made a different point at the previous committee meeting on boxing and he would be calling for the Irish soccer team not to take part in the Nations League. There has been an incredible focus on one team today when there are other matches coming up in other sports. It is not fair or right. We in government, particularly the Tánaiste and Taoiseach, will continue to...

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Every time we are asked whether we would financially support a sporting event or a match - we had it last year with the Katie Taylor fight - we ask people to make applications to the Department. If the FAI makes an application to the Department for that, it will be examined in exactly the same way as every other application.

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: We would look on it in exactly the same way we look on every other application. If the FAI wants to do that, it is more than welcome to do that.

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: No.

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: No, there is not. The funding that is there covers the applications we have at the moment. All the grants given out up to now are covered by the budgetary provision that is there. We are discussing the current sports capital round with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, in the context of the national development plan review. I have been meeting clubs and telling them the reality of the...

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I am hoping it will be as soon as possible but with the very high demand for it-----

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: They are. The departmental officials who work in Killarney are working really hard to assess all the applications. I know there have been allegations that it is not transparent; it is extremely transparent. They need to go through every application and score it based on the points system we have set out. That work takes a long time and it is currently under way.

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: It is unlikely to be as soon as that.

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I have that figure but I just do not know if I have it here in front of me. Certainly, equipment only is a lower percentage of the overall ask than it was the previous time. We do have that figure but I just do not have it here.