Results 681-700 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen
- Tourism Industry. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: In reply to Deputy Mitchell, as a matter of interest I met with Continental Airlines representatives when I was in Houston which is its main hub. This was one of the reasons for my visit to America for the St. Patrick's day festivities. The airline is very robust in its attitude to Ireland. It is confident about the current number of its flights and sees great potential for expansion. It...
- Departmental Expenditure. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: The supplementary budget for 2009 was a necessary measure to bring stability to the public finances, to restore economic activity and to enhance Ireland's competitiveness. It is critical that we manage the immediate economic difficulties in order that Ireland is well positioned to take full advantage of the international recovery when it arrives. This has meant that certain measures have...
- Departmental Expenditure. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: I would not necessarily agree with all of what the Deputy has said. Under the swimming pool programme, as I said, 57 projects were approved in the first round, and this round is still being completed, while 43 projects have been finished.
- Departmental Expenditure. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: It is some achievement in terms of volume. We have gone from having no swimming pools in some communities to having 43 around the country, which will make an enormous difference.
- Departmental Expenditure. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: The reduction takes account of the reallocation of the budget. Those projects that we expect will require funding this year under the swimming pool programme will get it. Some are delayed for various reasons to do with the local authorities themselves. Our best estimate is that the money I have provided in the portfolio is more than enough to meet the requirements for this year. On the...
- Departmental Agencies. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: Both the Irish Sports Council and the Olympic Council of Ireland conducted reviews of the performance of Team Ireland at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The commissioning of these reviews is a matter for both organisations in the context of their roles in supporting Irish elite athletes. The Irish Sports Council, which is funded by my Department, has statutory responsibility for encouraging...
- Departmental Agencies. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: I agree with the Deputy.
- Departmental Agencies. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: The Deputy and I are ad idem on this. I find it quite distressing, to be honest. The fractious relationship between the Olympic Council of Ireland and the Irish Sports Council is unfortunate for sport. However, it is a matter for both governing bodies how they conduct their affairs. I do not have a role in the commissioning of reports. What struck me about the two reports in question is...
- Departmental Agencies. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: I am sure we are all agreed that it was proper for a review to take place. The difficulty is that the two bodies concerned did not come together and co-operate in this review. The bottom line is that they must work together for the betterment of the athletes they purport to represent. It is regrettable that this did not happen. As the Deputy rightly pointed out, we did not achieve the...
- Tourism Promotion. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: To date, I have not received such representations from the group in question. However, I am available to meet with the new president and chief executive of the group and will be glad to receive details of any specific initiative from them. Any initiative that is received will be examined and considered. I understand the group has made a written submission to the tourism renewal group. This...
- Tourism Promotion. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: Good Food Ireland has received significant support in recent years. For example, representatives have travelled to the various destinations with the Volvo Around the World Race, where I understand they enjoyed enormous success, with funding from Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. I attended a dinner last night at which some 300 foreign travel groupings were represented and some 280 from...
- Tourism Promotion. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: I have tried to get some answers on this issue. Tourism Ireland is in discussions with the Dublin Institute of Technology on the restructuring. I have not had a detailed response but the information I have received is that the Tourism Ireland representatives are satisfied there is no diminution in the quality and organisation of the courses offered by the institute. There is nothing...
- Tourism Promotion. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: The bottom line is that quality and access for students are as good as they ever were and will, hopefully, get even better.
- Tourism Promotion. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: Yes, I understand the Deputy's point about retaining a single facility. It is my understanding that the Dublin Institute of Technology is moving its tourism courses more into the business sector. I will get back to the Deputy on this issue.
- Grant Payments. (28 Apr 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 the agreement reached in November 2007 between my Department, the ISC, the GAA and the Gaelic Players Association, provision was made for the introduction of two schemes through the ISC to recognise the outstanding contribution of senior...
- Grant Payments. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: It is the council's call. It will decide how to distribute the budget.
- Grant Payments. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: I would like to fund everybody. Unfortunately, budgets have contracted somewhat. It is a matter for the Irish Sports Council to provide funding to as many bodies as it can. The taxpayer has, rightly, provided huge resources to the three major sporting bodies, particularly in Croke Park, Lansdowne Road and Thomond Park. That has allowed those bodies to generate enormous profits. They have...
- Grant Payments. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: The taxpayer cannot continue to pick up the entire cost of this scheme in drastically changed economic circumstances. I am trying to be fair and I am not saying "No". However, I am clearly signalling that the resources required to continue the scheme at the level previously anticipated are not there. I place that in juxtaposition with the huge earning capacity of the three major sporting...
- Olympic Games. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: The London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics task force was established in August 2006 to ensure Ireland can identify and maximise the complete range of opportunities arising from our proximity to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London 2012. The task force included experts from the sport, tourism, cultural and business sectors and was supported by staff within my Department. The recently...
- Olympic Games. (28 Apr 2009)
Martin Cullen: That has always been the case.