Results 1,521-1,540 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Departmental Agencies. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: All of the bodies are accountable to the various Ministers in the Department who are accountable to the Dáil. This afternoon, I have given a very full and frank explanation of all of the different bodies in place. Interestingly, we had a discussion earlier where I made the point that I was not minded to create new agencies and add to the myriad agencies we have and I do not intend to do...

Tourism Industry. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: The recent Irish Tourism Industry Confederation's report reviews the factors impacting on the short-term outlook for tourism through Shannon Airport and Ireland generally. It highlights how external factors, such as the economic slowdown in some of our key markets, the relative strength of the euro against the US dollar and sterling, high oil prices and difficulties in the airline industry,...

Tourism Industry. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: In general, the figures for the first quarter of the year are telling in that they show a 4.5% growth again. I do not expect that level of growth will be sustained throughout the year but it is a good start and it will be helpful in terms of overall figures. Having breached the 8 million barrier last year the indications are that the figure will be about the same again this year. That...

Tourism Industry. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: I did not say that, what I said is that we have been waiting so long for a conference centre that I am anxious, as I am sure everybody is, to get the conference centre in Dublin finished. I will revert to the Deputy as I do not have any specific information on the matter. I appreciate the value of conference facilities, given the size of that market and the tourism potential that flows from...

Tourism Industry. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: When I was in that Department it was certainly my intention that Shannon would get the advantage of starting first, simply because it was possible to proceed with it, whereas this was not the case in Dublin. I will certainly communicate with the Minister for Transport to ascertain the status of the matter.

Departmental Reports. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: No report that has been commissioned by the Department is awaiting publication. However, as the Deputy will appreciate, a number of reports are completed or nearing completion under the Department's value for money programme, which will be published in the short to medium term. Reports on the Department's swimming pools programme and on the Irish Film Board have been finalised and a report...

Departmental Reports. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: In response to a recent parliamentary question I gave the Deputy details of consultants commissioned by the Department since 2006. As some of these reports are not finished I do not have the invoicing and costing in place. If there is more up-to-date information than the information already provided to the Deputy I will certainly make it available to her. I have no new information to add...

Departmental Reports. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: I am well aware of the report. The Deputy is correct in that the report will be launched within the next week or two. I am committed to and see the direct benefit of arts in education. It would be wrong to suggest that because a report has not been published nothing is happening in this area. As the Deputy may be well aware — I have witnessed this in many schools that I visited in the...

National Theatre. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: In 2006 the Government decided to proceed with the redevelopment of the Abbey Theatre by way of a public private partnership on a site at George's Dock, on a build, finance and maintain basis. This site was chosen following an extensive search exercise conducted by the Office of Public Works. Arising from the Government decision, an inter-agency steering committee was established to oversee...

National Theatre. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: I have been involved in a range of these projects and they are not as simple as the Deputy suggests. In the conclusion of my remarks I said the market is well aware this project is on the way and the international competition for the design of the theatre should get under way formally before the summer is over. As the Deputy knows, we have just successfully launched the total rebuild of the...

National Theatre. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy would know that to go to the market, one has to be very specific on the parameters and technical specification for the project. All the key people, down to the experts on acoustics required for a theatre of this magnitude, are already on board. They are finalising all that technical work and it should go to the market this summer. I am anxious to see this project proceed. I was...

National Theatre. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: I do not have that information here but given the scale of the project, if we get to the market before summer, I would imagine a six-month timeframe.

National Theatre. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: I would say it will certainly take that amount of time.

National Theatre. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: One does not design a €200 million project on the back of a postage stamp. It is a huge project.

National Theatre. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: I am answering the Deputy from experience that it will be at least six months. It may be more than that. I will come back to her when that timeframe has been decided. I am not deciding the timeframe as it is being done by those involved in the project management from the OPW and the National Development Finance Agency.

Sports Funding. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: A sum of €184 million has been provided in the National Development Plan 2007-2013 for supporting existing projects in the local authority swimming pool programme and for new projects to be selected following the launch of a new round of the programme. The terms and conditions of a new round will be devised taking into account the recommendations of the value for money and policy review...

Sports Funding. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: That is a very distorted way of looking at the programme. Total expenditure of €120 million has gone in and this has leveraged approximately €378 million. Since 2002, some 57 new projects are being dealt with under the programme. This is a phenomenal number of direct pool projects. Some 45 projects have been allocated grant aid of which 34 have already been completed. I opened three...

Sports Funding. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: Some 34 have been completed, 11 more are under construction and 12 others are at various stages, two preparing tenders, seven preparing contract documents and three are preparing preliminary reports. The scale of the programme over the past number of years has been extremely significant. I agree with the Deputy. If the resources are available to me, I would like to open a second round of...

Sports Funding. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: That was in the context of a new Government being formed within a matter of weeks.

Sport and Recreational Development. (24 Jun 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Irish institute of sport has been in operation since 2006 as a unit within the Irish Sports Council with its own specially selected board. The executive chairperson, supported by a senior management team, which includes a director of sports science, director of sports medicine, director of athlete services and a director of technical services, has been working with the national governing...