Results 821-840 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen
- Tourism Industry. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: It is right that the aim should be that every facility should be open 12 months of the year. We would all accept there may be some smaller facilities where it would not be realistic to achieve that, but the aim should be to achieve it. A substantial number of projects, large and small, have been identified throughout the country to enhance the product. A number of those are in State...
- Tourism Industry. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: I am sure it would be the Deputy's experience, and it certainly would be mine, that the people one meets at the sites are very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about what they are doing.
- Tourism Industry. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: If the Deputy is suggesting there should be a further ownership incentive in terms of reward for the activities they undertake, I would not disagree with her. That is why, to some degree, there might be better structures working in the private sector. I do not know the possibilities of this. I can mention it to my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Martin Mansergh, who has...
- Olympic Games. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: I thank both the Deputy and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. All I can say is that I am happy to be conversing with the living today.
- Olympic Games. (3 Mar 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 taskforce included experts from the sport, tourism, cultural and business sectors and was supported by staff within my Department. The recently...
- Olympic Games. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: On the first point, the Deputy is quite accurate in the breadth of what she said. As I said, Enterprise Ireland and the IDA are very much involved in seeking out the business opportunities that present between now and 2012. A significant number of Irish companies are contracted to undertake some of the construction work. This is positive in itself. As the Deputy is aware, I had a useful...
- Sports Capital Programme. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: Under the sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, funding is allocated towards the provision of sports facilities at national, regional and local level. The programme, which is the primary vehicle for promoting the development of sports and recreational facilities, has transformed the sporting landscape of the State, with improved facilities in virtually every...
- Sports Capital Programme. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: For the 685 projects approved last year, funding is continued into this year. There is a further overhang of projects in recent years that will also be completed. In total, some 1,000 projects are set for completion. Lottery funding is not, nor ever was, abrogated to my Department. Rather, it goes into the central Exchequer, along with all revenues to the State. That always has been the...
- Sports Capital Programme. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: No, because the commitments already given require every cent of the funding for 625 projects allocated and contracted. More projects have not yet started for various reasons. I cannot say how many will proceed but the sum of â¬56 million will be drawn down in the current year for projects to which resources have already been allocated.
- Irish Horseracing Industry. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: Government support for the horse and greyhound racing industries is provided through the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund, which was established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001. Under the provisions of the Act, the fund has received a guaranteed level of finance each year from 2001 to 2008. This was based on excise duty on off-course betting in the preceding year, subject to a...
- Irish Horseracing Industry. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: Not all of it.
- Irish Horseracing Industry. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: The fund has been reduced this year in the Estimates process. As we went through this I had discussions on the matter. The fund is â¬69 million, reduced from over â¬80 million. There was acceptance in the industry that it had to take the hit. The industry, Deputies Mitchell and Barrett and I were ad idem that resourcing must come from within the industry. The taxation must be...
- Irish Horseracing Industry. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: A figure of 0.5% is very small and 1% would do wonders. Experts who know far more than I are trying to get their heads around this. Only two of the companies operate in Ireland and much offshore betting is done with companies that do not operate in Ireland. The major problem is how to get at the tax of a company that operates somewhere else. Some of the companies are offshore altogether....
- Irish Horseracing Industry. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: Yes.
- Irish Horseracing Industry. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: No country has fully found a way to manage this. We are grappling with new technology. Someone suggested to me that there are new products coming out that will make this matter even more complex. Nevertheless we must deal with it. The means to address this is within the industry, which knows what is going on and is in a position to manage it. Fairness across the industry would resolve...
- National Theatre. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: Progress is ongoing on the new national theatre project. The project is complex and there is a myriad of technical, procedural and legal factors to address. The successful delivery of the project is a priority for the Department and Government in the programme for Government and the national development plan. An international design competition was one of the conditions of the offer of the...
- National Theatre. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: As it is a PPP, there is a great hunger for projects.
- National Theatre. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: It is possible because it is a guaranteed PPP scheme. On the gestation, the Deputy knows the history as well as I, with all the different locations, ideas etc.
- National Theatre. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: The decision to proceed was taken in autumn 2006. There have been 21 meetings since and from the time I came to this Department, I have been aware of the complexities in terms of technical specifications, the arguments and substantial differing views of what the project should comprise. Much of that has been washed out and resolved through the system, and that is why we have moved to a...
- National Theatre. (3 Mar 2009)
Martin Cullen: I have consulted my notes but I do not have that figure before me. I will try to get it for the Deputy.