Results 7,021-7,040 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming European Council: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Michael Ring: In the context of what Senator Eamonn Coghlan said in respect of dual careers, we are hoping to encourage co-operation between member states. We are also hoping to encourage them to enter dialogue with their educational institutions. The Senator was one of our top athletes for many years. He is quite correct in that he was obliged to strike a balance between his running and his education,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming European Council: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Michael Ring: As stated, the World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, is meeting in Montreal this week. The governing bodies in sport, which are responsible for handing down sanctions, must come to grips with this matter. In my opinion, a person caught using performance-enhancing drugs should never be allowed to be involved in sport again. All sporting organisations, nationally and internationally, are too soft....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming European Council: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Michael Ring: I thank members of the committee for the opportunity to brief them ahead of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council next week in Brussels. We have made progress on a number of our priorities for sport during the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU. I am looking forward to chairing the Council of Sport Ministers and to an engaging debate with my EU colleagues. There are huge...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme Application Numbers (2 May 2013)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 251, 252 and 254 together.   Applications were unsuccessful for various reasons.  Some were deemed invalid for one or more of the following reasons: issues regarding title, no evidence of own funding, issues regarding planning permission, original signatures not provided, issues regarding quotes,  feasibility study...

Seanad: Adjournment Debate: Ports Development (30 Apr 2013)

Michael Ring: I apologise on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar, who is at a Cabinet meeting and cannot attend this debate.

Seanad: Adjournment Debate: Ports Development (30 Apr 2013)

Michael Ring: There is smoke, but I do not know what colour it is. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister who published a new national ports policy in March. This new policy aims to harness the potential of every port in Ireland, including Rosslare Europort and the Port of Waterford Company. Our ports are vital to our economic recovery and future economic prosperity. As an island nation, we...

Seanad: Adjournment Debate: Ports Development (30 Apr 2013)

Michael Ring: The Senator is correct. There are difficult challenges facing both ports and one can see from the statistics and the drop in goods coming in and out of the port that it has problems, which is why it commissioned its own report. The Government has commissioned its report. The Senator is correct that today's news is very good for the south east and I am delighted with it. He is also correct...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Official Engagements (30 Apr 2013)

Michael Ring: He would turn in his grave if he thought the Deputy was there.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme Applications (30 Apr 2013)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 603 and 610 together. No decision has been taken on the timing of the next round of the Sports Capital Programme.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Funding (24 Apr 2013)

Michael Ring: Clubs in non-disadvantaged areas were required to have 15% in available own funding toward the total cost of the project. The club referred to by the Deputy stated in their application that they had only 12.5% own funding available for the project. In addition, the club did not have title to the property at the time of application.  The club were informed of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme Applications (16 Apr 2013)

Michael Ring: The primary vehicle for the funding of sports clubs is the Sports Capital Programme.  The last round of the programme was launched on 28 March 2012 with the deadline for applications being the 11 May for paper based hard copy applications and 1 June for applications made online.  The Department received 2,170 applications for funding under the 2012 Sports Capital...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme Applications (16 Apr 2013)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1395 and 1408 together. The allocations under the 2012 Sports Capital Programme were announced last December.  No application was received from the club referred to by the Deputy. The allocations under the 2012 Sports Capital Programme were announced last December. No application was received from the club referred to by the Deputy. It may be...

Other Questions: Tourism Capital Investment Programme (27 Mar 2013)

Michael Ring: I disagree with Deputy Dooley, as someone who, like him, comes from a tourist town. It is all about perception. If people think they are not getting value for money, it creates a problem. People saw the effect of the VAT reduction from 13% to 9% when it was passed on. In addition, the trade started to introduce deals and realised it had to do something with its cost base and provide value...

Other Questions: Tourism Capital Investment Programme (27 Mar 2013)

Michael Ring: I hope we can attract the World Cup in 2020 or 2024. We are meeting the IRFU tomorrow and we hope we can attract many other sporting events similar to the World Cup. Next week, the Sports Council, the Minister and I will announce a number of sporting events for The Gathering. Sporting events bring people into the country, fill beds and bring in badly wanted revenue.

Other Questions: Tourism Capital Investment Programme (27 Mar 2013)

Michael Ring: My officials have met the CSO because, as Deputy Dooley is correct to say, we need up-to-date information. If there is a problem in the market, we must know on time, whether that is at the beginning, middle or end of a year. If we must carry out a marketing campaign in a particular quarter in which there is a problem, we need the information. My officials have met representatives of the...

Other Questions: Tourism Capital Investment Programme (27 Mar 2013)

Michael Ring: We want to support any event that takes place if it will bring people into the country. This year, we have The Gathering, which I hope the Deputy will encourage. The Gathering is not being led by the Government or Fáilte Ireland, it is community led. The people of the country have come in behind the initiative. Between 7,000 and 8,000 people turned up at public meetings on the...

Other Questions: Tourism Capital Investment Programme (27 Mar 2013)

Michael Ring: Deputy McLoughlin makes a good point. Everybody has his or her part to play in the recovery of the tourism industry. I send the message loudly and clearly to hoteliers, restaurateurs and anyone else involved in the tourism business that this is the year we bring people to Ireland, in particular for The Gathering. They will be our ambassadors when they go home. If they get ripped off here,...

Other Questions: Sponsorship of Sporting Events (27 Mar 2013)

Michael Ring: The Deputy is speaking my language. We all know that the drinking culture presents a serious issue, as does binge drinking. The banning of advertising is one option. However, the Government does not have the means to provide that funding for sport. When the national lottery was set up, the money was to be used for the funding of sport and the arts, but that is not the case. The revenue...

Other Questions: Sponsorship of Sporting Events (27 Mar 2013)

Michael Ring: All of the Deputies are speaking my language. I would love to see the Department of Finance giving us more funding for sport. Governments think in terms of one to five years rather than one to 15 years. The more money that is invested in sport, the healthier society will be. There will be a lower incidence of diabetes and obesity and as the years progress, less money will be needed to...

Other Questions: Sponsorship of Sporting Events (27 Mar 2013)

Michael Ring: The Department of Health is active in this regard. However, the Departments of Education and Skills and Transport, Tourism and Sport also have a significant role to play. I agree that young people must be educated about what they eat and drink in order to have a fitter and healthier society. We need to get people walking and to be health conscious. The Departments co-operate in...