Results 1-20 of 12,487 for speaker:John O'Donoghue

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Railway Services. (6 Nov 2002)

John O'Donoghue: I thank Senators Mansergh and Jim Walsh for raising this matter and their contributions. The Minister for Transport informs me that he has no plans to close any railway lines nor has he received any recommendations to date from Iarnród Éireann recommending the closure of any railway line in any part of the country. He understands the management of Iarnród Éireann is carrying out a review...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Swimming Pool Projects. (6 Nov 2002)

John O'Donoghue: I thank the Senator for raising the matter and for giving me the opportunity to outline the current position in relation to the Tuam swimming pool application under the swimming pool programme which is administered by my Department. The aim of the swimming pool programme is to assist local authorities in the development of swimming pools. However, the types of public swimming pools that were...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - National Lottery. (6 Nov 2002)

John O'Donoghue: On behalf of the Minister for Finance, I thank Senator Feighan for allowing me the opportunity to set the record straight on this issue. News of this matter first surfaced some weeks ago in media reports indicating that the National Lottery had downgraded some 60 lottery terminals countrywide. This is the case and it is regrettable that their number is up, so to speak. However, what may not...

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements. (13 Nov 2002)

John O'Donoghue: I welcome the opportunity to address the House on current conditions in the Irish tourism industry. It is particularly appropriate to review this as we come to the end of this year's tourist season and take stock of developments during the first five months of the Government's term of office. Since taking up my appointment in early June in the newly constituted portfolio of Arts, Sport and...

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (Resumed). (13 Nov 2002)

John O'Donoghue: Napoleon had white horses. I thought that only piebalds were sold at Ballinasloe.

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (Resumed). (13 Nov 2002)

John O'Donoghue: I thank Senators for their contributions and commend them on the depth and range of their interventions. I wish Senator Daly well in his role as Government spokesperson on arts, sport and tourism. I have no doubt he will bring his considerable experience as a former Minister and Member of both Houses to bear on this important portfolio. I also wish Senator John Paul Phelan and Senator...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (27 Nov 2002)

John O'Donoghue: I am pleased to bring this Bill before the Seanad. I made a major statement on tourism to the House in recent weeks and do not propose to rehearse the same ground in what I have to say today. The Bill is tightly focused and its purpose is to provide a statutory basis for a new national tourism development authority. When the authority is established, Bord Fáilte and CERT will be dissolved...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (27 Nov 2002)

John O'Donoghue: Not for any of us.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (27 Nov 2002)

John O'Donoghue: We had a bad captain.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (27 Nov 2002)

John O'Donoghue: I thank Senators for their comments on the Bill and for the strong support they have expressed for it. It is a tightly focused Bill which does not set out a grand strategy for Irish tourism. The forthcoming review of tourism policy will address that. This Bill simply provides for the establiishment of a national tourism development authority which should hopefully bring a new dynamic to...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: The purpose of the amendment is to address an instance of incorrect punctuation. Amendment agreed to. Government amendment No. 2:

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: This a similar amendment. Amendment agreed to. Section 2, as amended, agreed to. Sections 3 to 6, inclusive, agreed to. Amendment No. 3 not moved. Section 7 agreed to. Amendments Nos. 4 to 7, inclusive, not moved. Section 8 agreed to. Sections 9 and 10 agreed to. SECTION 11. Government amendment No. 8: In page 10, subsection (2)(b), line 8, to delete "subsection (1)(c)" and substitute...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: The purpose of the amendment is to address an incorrect subsection reference. Amendment agreed to. Section 11, as amended, agreed to. Section 12 agreed to. SECTION 13.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: It is not proposed to accept the amendment, the effect of which would be that a copy of any policy direction issued by the Minister to the authority under section 13 would have to be laid before each House. This would be a departure from practice and may represent an undue encroachment by the Legislature on the Executive function. On balance, one cannot see how making every policy direction...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: The effect of this amendment would be that any person appointed to the board would have to face a committee which could deem that person unsuitable. There is no doubt this could lead to a major political wrangle over nominations and would lead to opposition to appointments for political reasons. This would not be conducive to the good working of the board and everybody would agree with that....

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: I agree it is important that people with expertise are appointed to boards, where possible. This expertise can take the form of expert knowledge on a given subject but can also take the form of common sense, which is often the most important ingredient in decisions boards take. It would be unprecedented for the Government to set up a committee system to vet members of the National Tourism...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: This is always a difficult subject. The Equal Status Act, 2000 and the Employment Equality Act, 1998, which I moved in this House as the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, govern equality in terms of employment and the provision of services. The grounds mentioned in those Acts are far wider than that of gender and include areas such as ethnic origin, religion, sexual preference...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: The term of membership of Bord Fáilte Éireann currently stands at five years and members may be reappointed. Membership of CERT is three years while reappointment is allowed. The chairman has a five year term. It has long been the case with Bord Fáilte that members serve a five year term. This allows for continuity for the board and ensures the executive is relatively vigilant. Having...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: The maximum term for which an individual can serve is ten years. The Government will be in office for ten years and it is doing a great job.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: If the board does even half as well, it will be a great success.