Results 10,761-10,780 of 12,487 for speaker:John O'Donoghue
- National Theatre. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 19 and 21 together. In July 2005, the Government authorised investigative surveys to be carried out at the George's Dock site to inform further decisions on the development of the theatre there. At my request, the Office of Public Works arranged detailed examination of the site, including archaeological, geotechnical and structural surveys. On the basis of...
- National Theatre. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: KPMG has been commissioned to carry out a cost effectiveness analysis of the proposed relocation of the national theatre, the key objective of which was to establish the most effective way to achieve the redevelopment of the Abbey Theatre at George's Dock. In February, KPMG provided an outline of its report, which we made available to the NDFA and the OPW. The outline, inter alia, examines a...
- Tourism Promotion. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 11, 14, 342 and 343 together. As I have often said, maintaining and growing competitiveness is the major challenge facing the tourism industry. The industry operates in a fiercely competitive environment and faces major challenges if it is to remain on the path of sustainable and well dispersed growth. Tourism policy has been reviewed and re-invigorated...
- Tourism Promotion. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I will answer the final question first. The group established to examine the tourism industry and bring forward specific recommendations made more than 70 recommendations in its final report, New Horizons for Irish Tourism An Agenda for Action. This includes the question of interaction with State agencies, including local authorities, with a view to improving the product which also includes...
- Tourism Promotion. (6 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: I stated I was very pleased with the Central Statistics Office figures published earlier this month which showed a double digit growth in overall visitor numbers for the first four months of the year, driven by the British market which represented a growth of 12% or 127,000 visitors, which was quite considerable. The number of European visitors increased by more than one fifth, leading to an...
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Since Mullingar all those false dawns ago we have listened to the meaningless meanderings of an Opposition that is tiring the public with its rhetoric.
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: That was only the first sentence. The remnants of the rainbow coalition government, the constituent parts of which include old Labour, the retired revolutionaries of the Democratic Left and the battered survivors of Fine Gael's last debacle, are joined today by the Green Party and "whatever you're having yourself" in an attempt at the greatest public deception since the foundation of the...
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Two years ago, the Mullingar man of Irish politics, Deputy Enda Kenny, promised the people a comprehensive policy strategy within 18 months. He has been ably assisted by the microphone man of Irish politics â the man with an opinion on everything and a policy on nothing â Deputy Rabbitte, or to give him his correct title, Pat the talker; the man who brings us today's talk today.
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: After nine years of wrestling with the responsibilities of enforced retirement, one would have expected a coherent policy or some semblance of a strategy. Sadly, these are not forthcoming. If the Opposition cannot tell us what it will do in Government and how it will do it, one cannot know what it will do.
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: At least Fine Gael is consistent. It is 25 years since it won a general election and 25 years since it put a credible economic policy before the people. Kerry might have failed to win five all-Ireland senior football titles in a row, but Fine Gael is going for six general election defeats in a row.
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: In 1987, 1989, 1992, 1997 and 2002 Fine Gael sought the endorsement of the people and the people said "no". Each time Fine Gael substituted policy with a chant of "go on, go on, go on" and each time the response was "no", "no", "no". After the last election, the 33 "no's" turned into 33 lost seats.
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Tonight's motion gives us the opportunity to see if anything has changed.
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: The motion gives us the opportunity to see whether the Opposition's rhetoric lives up to its performance. The answer is "no", 33 times "no"
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: In contrast, by every criterion which may be used to judge the success of a government, this Government has been a success. Working in partnership with the most educated generation in the history of the State, we have created wealth and prosperity over the past nine years. The people enjoy a way of life that is unprecedented in terms of disposable income and the choices available. It is...
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: We do not claim to have got everything right, but we know that all the energies of this talented and experienced Government are focused on constant and relentless improvement. This motion is not about the Government, but about the Opposition. It is about an Opposition which relies as much on quick-pick criticisms as it does on quick pick solutions.
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Its criticisms do not survive the test of detailed analysis nor do its solutions stand the test of even cursory examination.
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Nobody knows what the Opposition wants to achieve or what standards it wants to set. Nobody knows the route it wants to take because it does not know itself. We know the goals we want to achieve, the standards we want to set and the route we want to take.
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: If the Opposition believes it is possible to provide top-class quality services to the people without getting the fundamentals of the economy right, it is as blinded by its prejudices as it is ignorant of the knowledge of what is required.
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: We are determined that this new Ireland, which we have created with a vibrant, imaginative, innovative, educated and entrepreneurial generation, will be an Ireland of fairness, equality, opportunity and advancement.
- Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)
John O'Donoghue: Find the lady.