Results 1,101-1,120 of 4,717 for speaker:Martin Mansergh
- Sports Funding. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: I can really only note what the Deputies have said and report it back to the Minister. Of course the equine industry is very important to the entire country. As the Deputy observed, it is particularly important to County Tipperary. Together the two industries employ approximately 27,500 people with approximately 80% in the horse industry and 20% in the greyhound industry. I was formerly a...
- Arts Funding. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: I presume the Deputy is referring to the commitment in the programme for Government in the context of retaining existing jobs and supporting viable but vulnerable businesses. This commitment is to continue the apprenticeship programmes at the national cultural institutions. The national cultural institutions operate various internship, apprenticeship and placement programmes, having regard...
- National Library and Archives of Ireland. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: The Deputy will be aware of the 2009 budget announcement of the rationalisation of agencies under the aegis of this Department to include the amalgamation of the National Archives and the Irish Manuscripts Commission into the National Library of Ireland to become the National Library and Archives of Ireland. In the case of this merger, the structure will become clearer when the necessary...
- National Library and Archives of Ireland. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: Broadly speaking, I accept the points being made by the Deputy, in particular, that the National Archives is under pressure, although it has had tremendous successes, for example, putting the 1901 and 1911 censuses online - the website has apparently had 125 million hits. I wish I could give the Deputy a timeline for when the legislation will be ready but I cannot add to the information she...
- National Library and Archives of Ireland. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: The policy decision is made by the Department concerned - in most of the cases we are discussing it is the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism - after which the Office of Public Works comes into play in terms of finding solutions, particularly space solutions and so on. A considerable amount of work has been done in the background in the past two or three years. The main issue, as with...
- National Library and Archives of Ireland. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: I am not disputing the Deputy's point.
- National Library and Archives of Ireland. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: Bodies such as the National Archives do not move with quite the same speed as greyhounds.
- National Theatre. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 108 together. The development of a new national theatre project is a complex undertaking, with a myriad of technical, procedural and legal factors to address in making progress on it. The successful delivery of this project is a priority for my Department and the Government in the renewed programme for Government and the national development plan....
- National Theatre. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: Everyone would agree there is a critical decision to be made in this regard. A considerable degree of pressure has been taken off the Abbey Theatre following its recent refurbishment on the existing site. I understand the board is satisfied that the theatre will be able to continue for the next five or six years until a new site is developed, hopefully in time for the centenary of the...
- National Theatre. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: I make no attempt to deny that there has been a shift in the Government's position on this matter. I participated in a debate on this issue in the Seanad in June 2008 at which point the clear course being pursued was to locate the theatre at George's Dock. Since then, there has been a shift in thinking of which I became aware at a meeting with the Taoiseach, the Minister and the Secretary...
- National Theatre. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: I have instructed it to examine the feasibility of locating the plans as they have been developed for the Abbey Theatre in the GPO as opposed to George's Dock.
- Tourism Industry. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: I propose to take Questions No. 96 and 97 together. As the Deputies will be aware, the report of the tourism renewal group was launched on Thursday, 8 October 2009. This report sets out tourism's contribution to Ireland's economic, social and cultural development and the prospects for Irish tourism in a changed world, as well as a framework for action for tourism's survival, recovery and...
- Tourism Industry. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: Obviously, maintaining marketing investment abroad is important but I suppose it is a balance between maintaining fiscal sustainability while putting in place the necessary supports for sustainable economic renewal. The tourism renewal group has prioritised spending on marketing within the tourism budget and has advanced a range of economic and business arguments for its recommendations....
- Tourism Industry. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: Obviously, heritage tourism is important, although it may vary a little in different parts of the country. I attended a south Tipperary tourism seminar with the industry at which it was stated that 50% of tourists to Ireland come to visit heritage areas. Most of the heritage in south Tipperary is under the auspices of OPW, Swiss Cottage, Cahir Castle, Cashel and so on. While the percentage...
- Tourism Industry. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: Tourism in the year to August is down approximately 11%. The overall figure for this year is likely to be closer to â¬7 million than â¬8 million. Some sectors of the economy have been hit worse than that. I do not believe that any country, certainly not Ireland, can afford to underestimate the economic importance of tourism, particularly given that it is such an employment intensive...
- Tourism Industry. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: The Deputy asked about the Department's role.
- Tourism Industry. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: Implementation groups are often established following the publication of a report which includes recommendations. I do not see any problem in this regard. On when the actions are likely to be initiated, the Minister will first need to know the outcome of the budget's Estimates deliberations before announcing what exactly the bodies under his aegis will be able to do next year. I am sure...
- Tourism Industry. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: I do not have information on who exactly will be involved. I will communicate with the Deputy on the matter. I am not clear whether persons outside the Department or public service will be involved. In principle, an action group is established to oversee implementation of a report with detailed recommendations. It is normal, in terms of bureaucratic procedure.
- Tourism Industry. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: I am sure the Minister will answer questions in relation to the group once its deliberations have made a degree of progress.
- Programme for Government. (21 Oct 2009)
Martin Mansergh: I am pleased that a key recognition in the renewed programme for Government is the further potential of the arts, sport and tourism sectors to create employment and economic growth, which is now, more than ever, a critical requirement of the economy. The programme places an added emphasis on the sectoral areas under the Minister's ambit, in particular in the radically changed and challenging...