Results 12,281-12,300 of 12,487 for speaker:John O'Donoghue
- Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (1 Jun 2004)
John O'Donoghue: Requests for financial assistance from Irish artists who wish to perform abroad are considered by the cultural relations committee, CRC, an independent body under my Department's aegis which then makes recommendations to me as Minister. The CRC has not recommended assistance in this instance and there do not appear to be any grounds for a review of its decision.
- Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (1 Jun 2004)
John O'Donoghue: The national lottery-funded sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, allocates funding to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level. A total of 1,304 applications were received under the 2004 sports capital programme, including 50 from County Mayo. All applications under the programme were evaluated by my Department in accordance with...
- Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (1 Jun 2004)
John O'Donoghue: The contract documents for the provision of a replacement swimming pool in Monaghan town were submitted to my Department on 17 May 2004. This documentation is now being examined by my Department's technical advisers, the Office of Public Works. The proposal will be considered further when its report is received.
- Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (1 Jun 2004)
John O'Donoghue: Further to my reply of 25 May 2004 referred to by the Deputy, a provision of â¬15 million has been made in my Department's Estimates to meet costs associated with the local authority swimming pool programme for 2004. The likely drawdown this year arising from grant commitments carried forward from earlier years and from the projects approved this year is estimated at â¬12 million which...
- Written Answers — Departmental Audits: Departmental Audits (1 Jun 2004)
John O'Donoghue: Since the establishment of my Department in June 2002, a total of seven internal audit reports have been completed to date. The title of each report is as follows: survey of procedures for payments of grants and grants-in-aid to bodies under the aegis of the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism; arts and culture capital enhancement support scheme, ACCESS; postal and telecommunications...
- Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (1 Jun 2004)
John O'Donoghue: Under the local authority swimming pool programme, LASPP, grants of up to â¬3.8 million are made available towards either the refurbishment of existing pools or the provision of new pools, subject, in both cases, to the total grant not exceeding 80% of the eligible cost of the project or 90% for projects located in designated disadvantaged areas. There are no plans at present to increase...
- Written Answers — Lansdowne Road Development: Lansdowne Road Development (25 May 2004)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37, 41 and 49 together. The preparatory work leading to the construction of a new stadium at Lansdowne Road is already under way. There has been no change in the end-2008 target date for completion of the project. Since the Government's decision of 27 January to support a joint IRFU-FAI proposal to redevelop Lansdowne Road stadium as a 50,000 all seated...
- Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (25 May 2004)
John O'Donoghue: On 5 April last, Ireland hosted a major Presidency Conference on Competitiveness and Sustainability of European Tourism entitled, Charting Tourism Success, in Dublin Castle. The aim of the conference was to bring representatives from the Irish and European tourism industry together with representatives from the European Commission and other policy makers to identify and discuss issues of...
- Written Answers — Sports Partnerships: Sports Partnerships (25 May 2004)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 42 together. The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness committed the Government to the introduction of local sport partnerships to help promote and develop sport at local level. In its first strategy document, A New Era for Irish Sport (2000-2002), the Sports Council included the establishment of local sports partnerships as one of its main priorities....
- Written Answers — National Conference Centre: National Conference Centre (25 May 2004)
John O'Donoghue: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 32 on today's Order Paper on the same subject.
- Written Answers — Sports Funding: Sports Funding (25 May 2004)
John O'Donoghue: The national lottery funded sports capital programme, administered by my Department, is the major source of funding available for provision of sporting facilities for sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. Only projects of a capital nature with a clearly defined sporting aspect are considered eligible for the purpose of securing...
- Written Answers — Abbey Theatre: Abbey Theatre (25 May 2004)
John O'Donoghue: I refer the Deputy to my reply to priority question number 29 on today's Order Paper.
- Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (25 May 2004)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 57 together. The Memorandum of Understanding on Approved Destination Status with China, or the ADS agreement as it is more commonly known, was signed on 11 May this year in Dublin Castle in the presence of the Taoiseach and the Premier of China. This is a technical co-operation agreement governing group tourism from China to Ireland. It is anticipated...
- Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (25 May 2004)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 60 together. One of the key objectives of national tourism policy is to achieve as wide as possible a distribution of visitor numbers across the different regions with the consequent distribution of tourism revenue. Achieving that goal has long been recognised as a major challenge and is something that is fully reflected in the programmes and...
- Written Answers — National Stadium: National Stadium (25 May 2004)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 254 together. The Government decided at its meeting on 27 January 2004 to approve the provision of substantial funding towards the IRFU-FAI proposals to redevelop Lansdowne Road stadium as a 50,000 seat state of the art stadium. This proposal was brought to the Government following consideration of a joint proposal by the IRFU and the FAI to meet the...
- Written Answers — Lansdowne Road Development: Lansdowne Road Development (25 May 2004)
John O'Donoghue: The delivery of the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road will be the responsibility of a special purpose vehicle currently being established by the IRFU and the FAI. My Department has not had any meetings with local residents to discuss the proposed development nor are any such meetings planned. The IRFU is in contact with the local residents about the re-development programme and I am kept...
- Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (25 May 2004)
John O'Donoghue: Shannon Development's remit in the promotion and development of tourism in the Shannon region is the research, promotion and pro-active stimulation of investment in new, high-standard tourism products; the development and marketing, through its subsidiary company Shannon Heritage, of its own tourism products; the management and development of the activities of the tourist information office...
- Written Answers — Safety of Tourists: Safety of Tourists (25 May 2004)
John O'Donoghue: As I indicated previously in this House in my response to Question No. 153 of 6 April 2004, I deplore any incidents of crime against tourists as they are a vulnerable group away from their home country and without a network of family and friends to support them. I applaud the work of the Tourist Victim Support Service and I am encouraged by the support and close co-operation that the service...
- Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (25 May 2004)
John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 252 together. The challenges facing the tourism industry have been clearly articulated in the Report of the Tourism Policy Review Group, New Horizons for Irish Tourism â An Agenda for Action, which was launched last September. Not alone did the report devise a future strategy for the continued development of the sector, it recommended a comprehensive...
- Written Answers — Sports Facilities Audit: Sports Facilities Audit (25 May 2004)
John O'Donoghue: A national audit of local sports facilities should be undertaken as part of the development of a long-term strategic plan for the provision of sports facilities. The first step towards developing such a strategy, a review of the existing sports capital programme under the Department's expenditure review programme, is currently being finalised. The outcome of this review will help identify the...