Results 1,321-1,340 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Departmental Expenditure. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: That is not fair.

Departmental Expenditure. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: I provided the Deputy with a formidable amount of information in response to an earlier question. The number of validated claims received by the Department from the various promoters was lower than anticipated this year. This probably reflects the general position of the construction industry. In that way, we were able to make savings. My Department has almost completely decentralised to...

Departmental Expenditure. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: There is no difficulty from my point of view in seeing the programme completed.

Departmental Expenditure. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: The reality is that these measures still require money. As the Deputy knows, decisions in these areas are taken by the Arts Council, not by me. The council organises its budgets. We spoke to the agencies when we originally made our contribution to the adjustments made in July this year on behalf of the Government. My understanding is that it has not really had a direct effect in stopping...

Sports Funding. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Irish Sports Council, ISC, which is funded by my Department has statutory responsibility for encouraging the promotion, development and co-ordination of competitive sport and increasing participation in recreational sport. All sports organisations funded by the ISC, including national governing bodies and local sports partnerships, are encouraged to target all sections of society in...

Sports Funding. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: I agree with the Deputy wholeheartedly. Team sports are at the core of what sport is about, particularly for younger people. Participation in team sports teaches our children so much in terms of their ability to cope with success, defeat and disappointments, their social skills and ability to interact with their friends, and their understanding of leadership and playing one's part. There...

Sports Funding. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: There are other attractions also.

Sports Funding. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: Two areas are starkly identified in the most recent report which I launched some months ago — Deputy Mitchell was present — which was commissioned by the Irish Sports Council. These are the participation of young girls in sport and the participation and retention of young children in socio-economically disadvantaged areas. Coincidentally, I happened to have a meeting this week with a...

Sports Funding. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: I agree with the Deputy's reading of the report. It is very important to get girls interested in sport at primary level. Obviously it is much harder to engage them at an older age, as it would be with anybody who does not have that ethos and is not used to such participation. Emphasis needs to be placed on that matter. I am working with the Department of Education and Science on the...

Appointments to State Boards. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: I am considering the vacancies on the board of the Arts Council and hope to make an announcement in the immediate future. The remaining members of the board, whose terms expire in 2011, are sufficient to provide a quorum for the council and under the Arts Act 2003 the deputy chair can take the place of the chair until a new chair is appointed. In appointing new members to the board...

Appointments to State Boards. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: I am glad the Deputy prefaced her remarks about the outgoing chairperson.

Appointments to State Boards. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: My view and the general view without fear or favour is that she was an excellent and superb chairperson. Many people in this House as well as outside it often complain to me that the Arts Council is far too independent.

Appointments to State Boards. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: One can never win. I also know the other person to whom the Deputy referred. She is superb and is greatly committed to that area.

Appointments to State Boards. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: I know that. However, I wanted to put it on the record for fear that if I did not respond it might be taken to acquiesce with the Deputy's view. She is superb in the roles she fulfils.

Appointments to State Boards. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: They are not without their difficulties. My intent is to appoint someone to the chair of the Arts Council who has an interest in and some knowledge of the arts and has the business capacity to manage a budget in the order of €70 million or €80 million, which is very significant. That is not a small business, it is a significant amount of resources. I have not made a decision. I...

Appointments to State Boards. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: That has nothing to do with the Arts Council. That is the general legislative position relating to all State bodies.

Appointments to State Boards. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: That is the position. I agree it appears somewhat ageist. I am unsure as to the genesis of this legislation and whether it was introduced in recent years or in years past. We are all living much longer and are hopefully much healthier. Perhaps the provision could be reconsidered in the future. It was not regarding the Arts Council that I made the point, it was regarding State boards in...

Arts Funding. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 169 together. Funding for touring is provided by the Arts Council. The Arts Council is statutorily independent under the Arts Act 2003 and I have no role to play in its specific funding decisions. In 2007 and 2008 combined, approximately €2.5 million has been spent by the council to support touring. This is in addition to touring provision embedded...

Arts Funding. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: I agree about the facilities already in place all over the country through the access programme which has been very valuable. All of us will have seen many of these facilities. It is clear some areas are far better than others in maximising the use of a theatre. It comes down to the personalities involved — the drive, energy and vision shown in the different areas. I am strongly...

Arts Funding. (8 Oct 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Minister for Finance will present the budget next week and we shall see exactly where we stand. It does not in any way invalidate my view which I have shared with the House in terms of the value of many programmes. I intend, no matter what resources are available, to try to support these programmes. I agree, absolutely, that the touring programme, in all its guises, is enormously...