Results 861-880 of 9,810 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (25 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 103 together. The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Sports Funding (24 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I am in the county next door to him but in a different province, so we do not get to be in Clones often, if ever. We are here to discuss sports investment, and that will continue. I had the opportunity to discuss it in the Dáil last Thursday. I invite the Leader and Senators, if they so wish, to have a full debate on sports capital...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Sports Funding (24 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The Ulster GAA council will make its own decisions about stadiums but to be clear, Clones is not in competition with Casement Park from a Government point of view. The primary responsibility for the funding of Casement Park is really with the GAA but also the British Government, which has given an unconditional commitment to ensure the funding is there for Casement Park. The Taoiseach has...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (24 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Sport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, increasing participation at all levels and raising standards. This includes the allocation of current funding to sporting organisations across its various programmes, including the organisations mentioned by the Deputy. I have referred the Deputy's question to Sport Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (24 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998 bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Official Engagements (24 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I can inform the Deputy that a copy of Minister Jack Chambers' diary during his tenure in the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media is available on the Department's website and details of any meetings he held with sporting organisations are available therein. His diary can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/6e364-ministers-diari es/

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Heritage Sites (19 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I will set out the position here. To be clear, I do not have the latest update from a meeting that took place at 5 p.m. I have been in the Chamber since then myself. The OPW is responsible for Castletown House. In 2008, it reassembled 227 acres of the original estate. The OPW attempted to purchase the lands from Janus Securities on several occasions, including in 2022 but it was outbid....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Heritage Sites (19 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Deputy Durkan for his long-time commitment to Castletown House and estate. Everybody recognises the efforts of the OPW and the State in the care and preservation of Castletown House. I will say that the OPW wants to continue to welcome visitors to Castletown House. However, the impact of the protest is that the refuse cannot be collected, staff are working without heating, the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Probation and Welfare Service (19 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I reiterate what the Deputy and I have both said about reporting any crimes. It is important to always say that. Such reports will be treated seriously and sensitively. I will pass on the points the Deputy made to the Minister.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Children in Care (19 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. He speaks for all of us when he praises foster parents and families for all the work they do. Foster care is the preferred model for the care of children in care who cannot live with their families of origin. In recognition of the importance of foster care in contributing to positive and improved outcomes for children in care, the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Children in Care (19 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I acknowledge what the Deputy has said. I also acknowledge that what the Minister has done has been significant, although it is not exactly what everyone wants. However, he is committed to working with everybody, including Government partners, stakeholders and Tusla to continue to improve the supports for foster carers.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Weather Events (19 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I acknowledge the community response. People tend to look after one another in a situation such as this. Politicians work together. The public certainly want to feel that people are there responding to the immediate need. The community has done that. I know that Sarsfields GAA club in Glanmire, for example, prevented further flooding from happening.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Weather Events (19 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: To be fair to Cork County Council, on foot of the warnings, work was done in anticipation of the flooding and I am sure that protected some people as well. As regards the Department of Social Protection, community welfare officers have been on the ground in the Deputy's constituency, in Midleton and Youghal, today. I am sure he has been touch with them and with other people all day. I can...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Weather Events (19 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The information I have is that people are on the ground. There is a humanitarian assistance scheme in place. There is a €10 million fund in place for that. Separately, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is ready to activate the flooding support scheme for small businesses and sports clubs that are unable to secure flood insurance and are affected by the flooding....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Probation and Welfare Service (19 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I apologise for the absence of the Minister, Deputy McEntee. I understand she is at a Justice Council meeting in Luxembourg at the moment. I sincerely apologise that she is not here to answer this. Deputy McAuliffe will be aware from previous responses to parliamentary questions submitted to the Minister that records indicate that two allegations of child sexual abuse have been made in...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Weather Events (19 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Deputy Buckley. I acknowledge what his constituents are going through today. He is doing his job on behalf of his constituents here. I also spoke to Deputies O'Connor and Padraig O'Sullivan, Billy Kelleher MEP and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael McGrath, about various aspects of this matter. I thank all the public representatives for the information they are getting. I...

Capital Support for Sports Facilities: Statements (19 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Of the 33 LSSIF grants that were awarded in January 2020, two or three of them are open at this stage. It is a few. We looked at the issues there. The pandemic and construction inflation were the issues. We opened up a top-up process to those already been awarded grants.

Capital Support for Sports Facilities: Statements (19 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Almost all, 28 or 29, applied for it. In the coming weeks, I hope to be announcing the top-ups. I have to engage with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, on this but I hope to open a new round of the LSSIF as well. When the top-ups are announced, people will say they did not get the chance, and they did not because they did not make an application originally. However, I want to be able to open...

Capital Support for Sports Facilities: Statements (19 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Are you talking about Kildare or Louth?

Capital Support for Sports Facilities: Statements (19 Oct 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank everybody who took part in the debate. The programme generates enormous interest and the Government is doing a lot for sport, as has generally been acknowledged in the Chamber. As people are wishing their local teams well, I have to mention some of my own because there are a number of Leinster games this weekend. Interestingly, Kilbride is playing Amsterdam in the junior Leinster...