Results 141-160 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Tourism Industry (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland are two distinct agencies and both work well. One could ask the reason any country needs to have two tourism agencies. Tourism Ireland has a particular remit by virtue of the fact that it markets Ireland internationally as an island. Fáilte Ireland, on the other hand, is responsible for the domestic market. While the marketing of Ireland...

Tourism Promotion (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The most recent published figures from the CSO show a reduction of 15.7% in the number of overseas visitors to Ireland in the first three quarters of 2010 compared to the corresponding period of 2009. Figures for the third quarter of this year show that the fall-off is slowing down, at just over 8% compared to the corresponding period of 2009. While any decrease is disappointing, the figures...

Tourism Promotion (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy has asked about three distinct issues. I agree, we would rather have the CSO figures on a monthly basis than on a quarterly basis because that would allow us to plan. The CSO has said it is not in a position to do that at the moment, but at least every time we get the figures they assist us in our targeted marketing. We now do our marketing on a seasonal basis rather than an...

Tourism Promotion (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I will come to that. The industry has been telling me that the travel tax goes against the spirit of trying to attract tourism and while it was originally targeted at bringing in approximately €125 million, it looks like it may only bring in approximately €80 million this year. However, €80 million is very hard to find. I have asked the airlines to indicate to me what they could give...

Tourism Promotion (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: It is part of our discussions for the budget and that is the reason it is not in the plan. Individual taxes are specifically part of the budget. No decision has been made on the issue yet. Discussions are taking place with the industry and we are looking at the overall financial context to see whether it is possible to remove or reduce it or to see how we can replace the €80 million...

Expenditure Programme (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes, published in July 2009, made a number of recommendations, including, to reduce or discontinue expenditure programmes, to reduce the numbers employed in each area of the public service, to re-allocate staffing or expenditure resources between public service organisations as appropriate and to rationalise...

Expenditure Programme (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Having gotten rid of other bodies while serving in previous Departments, I genuinely believe that the agencies attached to the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sports are best served for supporting areas such as international and national marketing. The fact that Tourism Ireland is a North-South body should also be considered. The Arts Council is not only able to allocate grants, but it...

Expenditure Programme (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I accept the Deputy's point about accountability. Significant sums of money continue to be spent in the three areas under my remit.

Expenditure Programme (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The expertise we require does not rest within any Department. The marketing skills needed in the United States are entirely different from those needed in Germany and France. The agencies must employ people who are based in these countries. That would not be possible for a Department unless new embassies were established. It is our responsibility to determine the budget for these...

Company Closures (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Neither Fáilte Ireland nor I can substantiate the suggestion that one restaurant per day is closing because restaurants are not obliged to officially register under existing tourism legislation. However, I am aware that there is a high level of turnover in restaurant establishments internationally. It is Government policy to develop and support the tourism and hospitality industry through...

Company Closures (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I suspect that the majority of the bodies with which restaurant operators must deal come under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Obviously, health and safety issues are not in my Department's remit. The programme being launched today takes account of the costs faced by businesses, including those involved in the tourism industry, and refers to joint labour...

Company Closures (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I accept the importance of restaurants as part of our tourism industry. This is why Fáilte Ireland has established a food and hospitality office to specifically deal with issues that are relevant to them. Organisations such as Good Food Ireland and the Restaurants Association of Ireland serve their members very well. A number of issues have been raised by them with me, on which we are...

Arts Funding (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I am supplying the Deputy with a table that sets out the following details in regard to the Arts Council for each year from 2000 to 2010: total grant in aid; the nominal percentage change in funding compared with the previous year; the rate of inflation as measured by the consumer price index; and the real percentage change in funding compared with the previous year, taking inflation into...

Arts Funding (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Deputy Upton is being a bit disingenuous in regard to specific areas and figures. The figure she refers to for 2005 was €66 million but that had jumped 21% from the previous year and was only €54 million in 2004. On the question I was asked, the figure was €45 million in 2000 and €68 million in 2010. The key point made by the Deputy was on the need to ensure the arts are not a soft...

Arts Funding (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Looking back at the funding that has been paid out for capital projects and in current funding in recent years, we can see that a huge number of very small groups has benefited. While I do not have the day-to-day decision making in regard to the expenditure by the Arts Council, I will suggest to the council that it needs to be considerate of this in making its allocations for next year...

National Aquatic Centre (24 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The matter of Campus and Stadium Ireland Limited and Dublin Waterworld Limited came before the Supreme Court in November 2009, and the judgment of the court was issued on 30 April 2010. In a further hearing on 11 May, the Supreme Court ordered, inter alia, that the costs of the High Court and Supreme Court hearings be awarded to Dublin Waterworld Limited. The level of such costs has yet to...

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (23 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Under the current round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme, 46 pools have been opened throughout the country and eleven other projects are at various stages of the Programme. The total expenditure of €142.7 million under the programme from 2000 to the end of 2009 leveraged a total investment of some €400m in swimming pools throughout the country. No decision has been taken on...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Excluding grants to any tourism, culture or sport organisations which may have some form of charitable status, the Department has not paid any money to registered charities since its establishment in June 2002.

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (18 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The grantee in question was allocated a number of grants under the Sports Capital Programme between 1996 and 2004. The grant allocations are subject to the terms and conditions of the Programme, which include the execution of a Deed of Covenant and Charge. A Deed provides, inter alia, for a refund of the grant in the event of the facility not continuing to be used for the purpose for which...

Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (18 Nov 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The commissioning of external reports and reviews by State agencies/boards under the aegis of my Department is a matter for those State agencies/boards themselves. Nevertheless, I have requested the relevant State agencies/boards to provide the requested information directly to the Deputy.