Results 1,241-1,260 of 7,556 for speaker:Catherine Martin

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Tourism Promotion (7 Nov 2023)

Catherine Martin: My Department's role in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of national tourism policy and implementation of that policy is a matter for the tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, as well as certain other bodies. Tourism Ireland is the agency responsible for marketing the island of Ireland overseas as a leading holiday destination. It devises and implements...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Consultations (25 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: I am advised that officials in my Department have not had any in-person or remote briefings with the organisations, Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) and BelongTo from 2021 to-date. With regard to Agencies/Bodies under my Department's remit, such arrangements would be an operational matter for the respective Agency/Body.

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: State Bodies (24 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: The matter raised is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland. Accordingly, I have referred this question to the agency for direct response to the Deputy. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: State Bodies (24 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: A list of public bodies under the aegis of my Department and their Oireachtas contact details is provided below. Arts Council pqs@artscouncil.ie Coimisiún na Meán info@cnam.ie Chester Beatty docarroll@cbl.iecdukes@cbl.ie Crawford Art Gallery ...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Local Government Reform (24 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: I wish to advise the Deputy that, in the context of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, no functions of my Department have been devolved and no functions are currently in the process of being devolved.

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Pension Provisions (24 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: I previously considered and approved a 2% increase to pensions in payment for RTÉ in May 2022, which was implemented by the Trustees of the RTÉ Pension Scheme in August 2022. The Trustees subsequently made an application, in September 2022, for a 2.5% increase to pensions in payment, backdated to 1 January 2022. I have evaluated this request following advice from NewERA and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ukraine War (19 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: As I said, €10 million has been identified for the comprehensive programme of supports. The key element is that I have written to Fáilte Ireland to see if there is scope for a specific business support scheme similar to the supports we provided during Covid. We cannot devise a scheme based on anecdotal evidence. If the Deputy is aware of businesses such as activity providers or...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ukraine War (19 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: I have concerns about that impact on those businesses. My colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Simon Coveney, has put in place a scheme that would benefit up to 130,000 small and medium-sized business at a cost of €250 million. Hopefully, through engagement with the sector, including activity and tourism experience businesses, the Fáilte Ireland...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ukraine War (19 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 18 and 31 together. The tourism sector continues to play a significant role in supporting the State’s humanitarian effort in response to the unjust Russian war against Ukraine. In June 2023, Fáilte Ireland carried out a detailed analysis of data provided by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth concerning...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Promotion (19 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: Everything the Deputy said points to what we are trying to do in the sustainable tourism strategy, which is to get people into the regions where there will be so much to choose from that they will stay for longer. What is needed is connectivity and we are developing a national tourism strategy. Activities such as walking in the Lee Valley, water skiing and golf can be available so that when...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Promotion (19 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 19 together. Before I reply to these questions, I wish to acknowledge the devastation in Cork due to the floods. We have opened the humanitarian assistance support and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Coveney, has also committed to working with local councils to assess the damage and respond quickly. I will liaise closely...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Promotion (19 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: As the Deputy knows, significant supports have been provided to Cork. The Lee Valley features on Fáilte Ireland's discoverireland.iewebsite for domestic visitors. This is the one-stop shop that showcases the wealth of attractions to see and Cork features heavily there. Tourism Ireland has Ronan O'Gara as an ambassador, which is very much putting Cork on the map. Regarding the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tourism Policy (19 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: I agree on the knock-on impact on downstream tourism businesses. That is being felt and that is why, as part of the budget settlement, I have secured up to €10 million for tourism in 2024 for a comprehensive programme of supports targeted at downstream tourism businesses experiencing particular trading challenges linked to the reduction in footfall in respect of activities and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tourism Policy (19 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: This Government has hugely stepped up for tourism since 2020 and the start of the Covid crisis, with funding of €216 million to the sector, which is an increase of 33% on the 2020 level. In the intervening period, massive additional support was pumped into the sector, with my Department's funding for tourism reaching a peak of €286 million in 2022. Today, thankfully much of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Artists' Remuneration (19 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: I am aware of the communication with Deputies and understand that a petition that was handed in stated that every Irish performer and crew member deserves the right to appropriate and proportionate remuneration and that Irish performers will not be subject to lesser terms and conditions regarding their intellectual property rights than international performers in similar roles. I am in full...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Artists' Remuneration (19 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: I am asking for any specific cases to be brought to the Department or to Screen Ireland. As the Deputy said, the section 481 cap was lifted. That was welcomed by stakeholders, including Irish Equity, which sought that. There is a process in place whereby Screen Ireland has put in an independent facilitator. There is that lack of clarity around the assignment of intellectual property in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Artists' Remuneration (19 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: I ask the Deputy to bring the specific examples to my attention. We need to be contacted and need the specific examples brought to the attention of the Department or of Screen Ireland. That is crucial in this. As regards the process, Screen Ireland has put in an independent facilitator, and that is really important. The Deputy asks for haste there, but haste sometimes can be the enemy...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tourism Policy (19 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: While elements of the hospitality sector are also important parts of the wider tourism ecosystem, as Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media I do not have responsibility for the general hospitality sector or the food services sector. However, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and I co-chair the hospitality and tourism forum, which brings together...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Broadcasting Sector (19 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: On the question of retrospection, these are employees and contractors of RTÉ and it is a matter for it to address any such questions. The rights of individuals must be protected. I am aware that previously, after the Eversheds review, RTÉ engaged with unions in a facilitated process to address questions of retrospective compensation but any future retrospective compensation is a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Artists' Remuneration (19 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: This is a complex and nuanced issue. Screen industry contracting may vary from production to production with a range of production types from lower budget domestic productions to higher budget incoming international productions. There are different approaches to purchasing rights for film and television projects. Standard contracts between producers and creative rights holders vary from...