Results 341-360 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (30 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: An amount of €117.721 million has been allocated for sport and recreation services in my Department's Vote for 2010. A detailed breakdown of this budget is outlined in the Revised Estimates for 2010.

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (30 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Under the Sports Capital Programme, which is part funded by the National Lottery, funding is allocated to sporting and to voluntary and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. At the end of 2009 the total level of outstanding commitments on hand from previous rounds of the Sports Capital programme was just over €117m. This represented...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: According to the latest figures available from the Central Statistics Office, there were 1,541,200 overseas visitors to Ireland in the first four months of 2010, representing a fall of over 20% on the same period in 2009. While the decrease in visitors to Ireland is disappointing, it must be understood in the context of a decline in tourist numbers internationally. Tourism worldwide has...

Written Answers — Departmental Property: Departmental Property (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The buildings occupied by the Department at Killarney, Co, Kerry, at Kildare Street, Dublin 2 and those occupied by the National Archives of Ireland, which forms part of the Department, at Bishop Street, Dublin 8 are owned by the Commissioners of Public Works on behalf of the State. The total cost of building and land maintenance, including light and heating expenditure, arising for my...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes, as published in July 2009, made a number of recommendations in respect of my Department and the agencies under its aegis. Specifically, the Special Group made proposals to reduce programme expenditure by almost €105 million in 2010 and to structurally reduce 170 staff across the Department and its...

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: On 25 May 2009 my Department informed Galway County Council that a grant capped at €1.7m had been allocated under the Department's Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme towards the construction of a pool at Loughrea. I understand that Galway County Council has had further discussions with the Developer in preparation for the commencement of the project. While matters between the...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Under the Sports Capital Programme, which is administered by my Department funding is allocated to sporting and community organisations for the capital costs of providing sports facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment at local, regional and national level throughout the country. The organisation in question was awarded grants under the 2006 and 2007 Sports Capital...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Under the Sports Capital Programme, which is administered by my Department, funding is allocated to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. I understand that my predecessor did meet with a delegation promoting this project. It was explained to them that there were no funds available at the present time as there is no existing Sport...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Questions on budgetary or taxation policy are matters for my colleague, Mr Brian Lenihan, TD, Minister for Finance, in the first instance. The Government must consider any measure with tax or spending implications within the wider context of fiscal sustainability and economic renewal and the Air Travel Tax is regarded by the Minister for Finance as an important revenue raising measure. Of...

Written Answers — Hospitality Sector: Hospitality Sector (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Tackling the over-capacity that undoubtedly exists in the hotel sector at present is complex and, ideally, requires a market led response over time. As I have said in reply to earlier Questions, 2010 is likely to be another tough year in the hotel sector, with further adjustments taking place as the market responds to excess room supply. The current position is that NAMA completed the...

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Irish Sports Council (ISC), which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body responsible for the promotion, development and coordination of sport. The ISC was established on a statutory basis on 1st July 1999, and the functions of the Council are outlined in Section 6 of the Irish Sports Council Act 1999. A network of 32 Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) have been set up...

Written Answers — Irish National Opera: Irish National Opera (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The decision to found Irish National Opera was announced by my predecessor in December last. The new Irish company will receive part of its income from the State as grant aid and it will be expected to generate the balance of its operating costs. Grant-aid to two existing companies - Opera Ireland and Opera Theatre Company – will cease once the new company is up and running as their...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Foreign visitors to Ireland from many of the countries identified as "New and Developing Markets" require visas to enter Ireland. Tourism Ireland's review of New and Developing Markets - including India, China and 17 other markets - in late 2007, found that visitors from these markets stay twice as long as the average holidaymaker, have the highest spend per visit and have a higher...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Since my appointment last March as Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport I have not had the opportunity to meet with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to specifically discuss access to broadband facilities, although I obviously meet with all of my Cabinet colleagues on a very regular basis. The matter of broadband access has however, been raised on a number of...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: In 2004, Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Éireann launched a five-year Capital Development Programme with the aim of enhancing its network of regional development resource centres and outreach centres around the country, in order to build on and support its existing activities. Following consultations between my Department, the Department of Finance and the Department of Community, Equality and...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 28 together. My Department has sought the advice of the Attorney General's Office regarding the publication of the report referred to by the Deputies and I am currently considering the advice received. As I have previously stated in the House, from a legal perspective, I have no role in the day to day operations of the ISC. Under Section 9 of the Irish...

Written Answers — National Archives: National Archives (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The detailed information sought by the Deputy is a matter for the Commissioners of Public Works to supply when they have finalised costed proposals and estimates to remedy the National Archives storage provision. In relation to the National Archives from the policy perspective, I would refer the Deputy to my answer to Questions 42 and 43 of 19th May last. The principal National Archives...

Written Answers — National Cultural Institutions: National Cultural Institutions (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Whilst my Department provides funding to the National Cultural Institutions, the Board of each Institution is responsible for all operational matters relating to the institution, including opening hours, and I do not have a statutory function in respect of day-to-day operational matters. The opening hours at the National Cultural Institutions is a matter which is kept routinely under review...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Carlow Visual Centre for Contemporary Art project received funding of €3.17 million from my Department's ACCESS programme. The funding was a contribution towards the construction of a new custom built visual arts centre for large scale artworks and studio space for artists. The project has received critical acclaim and won the RIAI's award for Best Cultural Building, 2010. The total...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Hanafin: My Department to date has taken a range of measures to optimise the use of resources across its agencies. There has been considerable re-organisation of tourism structures in the last decade, including the establishment of Tourism Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and the re-organisation of regional tourism structures. These organisations are aware of the need to ensure maximum return on the funds...