Results 10,601-10,620 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: The numbers are overwhelming but we still expect to be able to make decisions by mid-summer because I think it is important for everybody that the delay is not too long. The efficiency has improved immensely. Out of 1,592 applications last time, approximately one third were ruled out. However, the Department has made extraordinarily detailed arrangements around the country, with workshops,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: As the Deputy probably knows, the term of the current chair, Professor Pat Wall, ends on 17 February. I was anxious that there should be an open process about this and I wanted to get it past the Public Appointments Service. The Public Appointments Service said that it was outside its remit to do this because Horse Sport Ireland does not come within it. There was a further proposal that a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: I will take a couple and perhaps Deputy O'Donovan can take a couple as well. A proposal was made for the second part of the funding of the indoor arena. It is quite a long saga. I will read out what I have. A proposal has been made. There is no agreement on the funding yet. Sport Ireland submitted a proposal to the Department on 12 June 2015 and again in January 2016 for the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: I will say a few words on the Olympics. The Olympics was an event far different from what we expected but I hope the 2020 Olympics to which the Deputy refers, and the Deputy might be in my place then representing the country-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: I hope the Deputy does not have the same experience I did, but it was a very successful event for Ireland and underestimated in many ways. The fact that we got fewer medals than we did in London does not mean that the high performance was not good. The top 10s and 20s were very good indeed, and we should celebrate that. On the reports, I presume the Deputy is referring to the Moran...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: None at all; no verbal contact. We had a request for an extension, which we gave to it until 31 March. I understand the Deputy has tabled a parliamentary question on this also. There is no report, and I have had no contact with Judge Moran at any stage, and do not intend to have until his report lands on my desk. On the OCI, the election will be on 8 February. Obviously, we will not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: I see no evidence that it is being done in anything but a proper way at the moment but if any such evidence becomes available, we would react accordingly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: I will respond to the question on the sports capital programme because it is an important issue in which people are very interested and about which some people may be uneasy. Deputy Troy expressed a certain amount of unease about the programme and it is fair enough to do so. I want to ensure this programme is utterly fair and that no one will come to the conclusion that there has been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: I will reply to the specific question addressed to me. While I did not bring the matter before the Cabinet, I do not need to do so because the promotion of women in sport is Government policy. We are engaging in significant consultation. We formed a sports leadership body, which includes 50 of the national governing bodies already, to consider the issue. We want to hurry up the process...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: I will answer the question on the OCI. The latter runs its own selection process. I have no reason for believing that it is doing anything of which we would disapprove. People must be remember that it is an independent body. Just because we give it a small amount of funds does not mean that we can control everything it does.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: No.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: That is fair enough. I do not know but I will ask someone to find out and inform the Deputy of the position, particularly as there is unease.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: Even though it is an independent body, I think it is fair enough that we should know.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: Yes, absolutely. I have no hesitation whatsoever about doing that. The Deputy asked whether the investigation is statutory or non-statutory. We decided that it should be non-statutory. That was really because there was going to be co-operation among the key players. I assume that has happened. If there was any reluctance for them to come forward we left it open to the judge to make the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: The Deputy asked several questions. I will take a couple of them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: I will try to respond very quickly. In terms of legal fees for Dublin Waterworld, I wrote a letter to Kieran Mulvey, chairman of Sport Ireland, saying that we would not pay any more in legal costs. We paid an enormous amount in legal fees and we have reached our limit. We put it to Sport Ireland that we will not pay that extra €1 million. The Deputy said there are two vacancies...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: The money was provided in respect of the Rio Olympics last year but Sport Ireland still has it. What we have said is that if there are any outstanding fees - I think there are - we will not pay them. If there is a bill for another €1 million, it will not come out of our allocation and Sport Ireland will be on its own in that regard. There are two vacancies on the board of Sport...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: It will be how ever long it takes under the Public Appointments Service, PAS, system.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport in Ireland - Challenges, Strategies and Governance: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (1 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: The timeframe will be slightly longer because those who are selected under the PAS system will have to undergo interviews as well. It will be the first time interviews have been a part of the process.