Results 1,101-1,120 of 9,820 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (2 Mar 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I again thank the Deputy for his comments. The Department is currently considering the long-term capacity requirements in Carrick-on-Shannon, taking into account existing demographic requirements as well as current and future residential developments in the area. It is important that school building projects take appropriate account of the longer-term needs of an area, as well as ensuring...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (28 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 254 to 257, inclusive, 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. Thousands of projects have been completed under the scheme and the Programme for Government commits...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (28 Feb 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 Public Expenditure and Reform: Sports Facilities (22 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: In recognition of the importance of the continued operation of the Aviva Stadium, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government and the organisation to which the Deputy refers, dated January 2020, provides for a repayable grant totalling €7.6338 million over the years 2020 - 2022 to the organisation towards the licence fee payable to the Aviva Stadium up to 2022. In...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sports Funding (22 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 118 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. Thousands of projects have been completed under the scheme and the Programme for Government commits to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Swimming Pools (22 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: In relation to my Department's responsibilities, capital funding for new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools was previously provided through the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme (LASPP). 52 pools have been completed under the LASPP and three swimming pool projects (Lucan, Buncrana and Edenderry) remain in the programme with the Lucan project currently under...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sport and Recreational Development (22 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I recognise the importance of sport and physical activity for our society and the need to ensure that opportunities are in place to allow all members of society to participate in sport. Sport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, including the promotion of sports participation. Sport Ireland provides funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Sports Events (22 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Ireland has consistently demonstrated an ambition to attract major international sports events that can make a positive return to the country. This is most recently evidenced by the Government’s decision to support the submission of a preliminary bid by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), with the UK football associations, for the right to host the UEFA Euro 2028 championships...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79, 84, 86, 91 and 94 together. I thank all Deputies who have raised this issue, and I know Sinn Féin tabled a question on this earlier. On the previous question, a Sinn Féin Deputy was looking for the scheme to be abolished, although, in fairness, he had other proposals so I am not going to entirely disrespect that. Nonetheless, we are not...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I am very glad Deputy O'Connor has added his voice to the pressure that is now on energy companies to reduce their prices. Energy prices went up in an understandable way because of the Russian war on Ukraine. The Government has responded to this through supports for sports organisations and for households. People should not forget that we have also introduced windfall measures through the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: As part of budget 2023, a funding package of €35 million was made available to help alleviate the impact of increased energy costs for sports clubs and organisations, with a view to ensuring that everybody could continue to enjoy the benefits of sport and physical activity over the winter months. In doing so, the Government acknowledged that increased energy costs are a major concern...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputy. I agree with him about volunteer numbers and participation rates. We are concerned about volunteer participation. The Government cannot mandate people to volunteer or make a law to make people volunteer but we can create the environment to ensure volunteers and clubs are supported in the best possible way. That can happen through the sports capital programme and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I know.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: It is welcome that more people are not just participating in women's sport, but also supporting it, which is important. I saw that myself in Páirc Tailteann recently when there was a men's match and a women's match one after the other, with similar crowds. That would not have been the case previously. I have a personal commitment to this through my family. I know someone who...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Facilities (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputy for his ongoing support and representations on the football centre of excellence for Munster in Glanmire. The work he has done as a councillor and in the Dáil has been important to the project. The large scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF, was launched in 2018 to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects, with at least €100 million...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Facilities (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I would be more than happy to attend any meeting on this matter. The Government has allocated more than €2 million to this project, and that money is still there. I understand the issues the Deputy has raised and his commitment to the project. This weekend, I will be attending the President's Cup match in ladies soccer. I am sure I will bump into officials from the FAI at that. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Facilities (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I do not have to hand the figures on the percentage of the fund that has been drawn down, but I can think of one project in my constituency where part of it is almost complete. Regarding phase 1, the original cost estimate was €3,858,473 and the Government awarded €2,025,699, so by any standard, the Government grant was a significant allocation towards the original cost...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 109 together. Addressing the participation of women and girls in sport and physical activity is an important element of national sports policy and is a core priority for me and the Minister. Along with Sport Ireland, we will continue to promote and encourage greater participation in sport by women and girls. The Government has provided a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The Deputy raised the issue of Anaïs O'Donovan previously and I know that Sport Ireland is aware of her situation. I certainly will get back in contact with the agency on that case. It takes responsibility for managing that funding. Just to be clear, I do not think there is any discrimination there in terms of gender but it is related to the particular sport in which I understand she...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Sport and Recreational Development (21 Feb 2023)

Thomas Byrne: We did not receive notification.