Results 201-220 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (14 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: The current round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme, which is administered by my Department, provides grant aid to a maximum of €3.8 million towards the capital costs of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of an existing pool. There are four principal stages in developing a swimming pool project following the submission of a feasibility study. These, in order of progress,...

Written Answers — Employment Statistics: Employment Statistics (14 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126, 128 and 131 together. The Deputy will be aware that I have no direct responsibility regarding the compilation of employment statistics. I am, however, informed by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) that the information requested by the Deputy is not available. The CSO has informed me that, while it compiles extensive statistics on employment, sectoral...

Written Answers — Employment Statistics: Employment Statistics (14 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 130 together. At present there is no definitive measure of the number of people directly and indirectly employed in the arts and cultural sector of the economy. The Central Statistics Office does not currently publish figures specifically for the arts and cultural sector and I intend to pursue this issue with the CSO. In the meantime, I am...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (14 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: As the Deputy will be aware, the compilation of statistical data relating to economic activities in the State is primarily a matter for the Central Statistics Office. Fáilte Ireland produces an annual summary of Tourism Facts. The most recent year for which full data is available is 2006. According to Fáilte Ireland, in 2006 out-of-state tourist expenditure, including spending by visitors...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (13 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: The Council of National Cultural Institutions (CNCI) was established on a non-statutory basis by the then Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands in July 1998. It was placed on a statutory footing under the Heritage Fund Act, 2001 and continues to fulfil both its statutory and non-statutory roles. The CNCI, in its non-statutory role, is a forum for the Directors and Chief...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (13 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: The Tourism Action Plan Implementation Group was established by my predecessor in January 2004 and its work concluded in January 2006 on completion of its third and final progress report. The purpose of the group was to review and report progress on the implementation of the Report of the Tourism Policy Review Group "New Horizons for Irish Tourism: An Agenda for Action". My predecessor...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (13 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement. Number of Departmental posts to move to Killarney by the end of 2008. 131 Number of Departmental posts decentralised at December 2007 70 Numbers of staff assigned to decentralising posts but have not moved. 16 The number of staff assigned that are new recruits to the Department i.e. recruited directly...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (13 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: The National Trails Office (NTO) established in the Irish Sports Council, has responsibility for coordinating the implementation of the Irish Trails Strategy, a cross-sectoral initiative that seeks to enhance the health, well being and quality of life of all Irish residents and attract many more visitors from around the world. The NTO developed the Strategy with the aim of creating and...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (13 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: It is not clear whether the proposed school of music is a commercial or not-for-profit organisation. My Department provides capital funding for arts and culture infrastructural projects and normally funds only not-for-profit and voluntary organisations. While Government support for the Arts is generally channelled through the Arts Council, which is a statutorily independent body, under the...

Written Answers — Arts Funding: Arts Funding (13 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: Government support for the arts is generally channelled through the Arts Council, which is a statutorily independent body, under the Arts Act, 2003, and is independent in its day-to-day operations, including in relation to its funding decisions. The provision of funding for the organisation referred to by the Deputy is the responsibility of the Arts Council. I have no role in relation to...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (13 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: The company referred to in the Parliamentary Question ceased to exist from midnight on 31 January 2006. It was replaced with immediate effect by a new company called Abbey Theatre Amharclann na Mainistreach (the "Abbey Theatre"). The main purpose of this company is to continue the tradition of the Abbey Theatre as the national theatre of Ireland for the purpose of acting and producing plays...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (13 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: Irish Genealogy Limited (IGL) was registered with the Companies Registration Office in September 1993 and continues to operate. The main objects for which the company was established were: (a) to provide information on the genealogical and settlement patterns of areas in the island of Ireland; to stimulate education about the heritage and the environment of the island; to foster and...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (13 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: Since its establishment in June 2002, my Department has not employed, through open recruitment, any full time specialists in the area of information technology procurement or capital project evaluation and management. There have been no IT procurement specialists seconded between the Department and the private sector.

Written Answers — Compulsory Purchase Orders: Compulsory Purchase Orders (13 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: There have been no instances of compulsory purchase orders being used by my Department since 2005.

Written Answers — Arts Council: Arts Council (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 134 together. The publication of the report of the Arts and Education Committee is a matter for the Arts Council, as the Committee's remit was to advise the Council on how best to align the Council's strategies for the promotion and encouragement of the arts with the priorities of the formal education system. Since the Arts Council presented me with a...

Written Answers — National Museum: National Museum (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 135 together. As I stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 35067/07 on the 18th December 2007, the Natural History Museum is a particularly popular institution with the public and I am anxious that they would not be deprived of the opportunity to view its exhibits for the duration of the period necessary for its repair and redevelopment, if at...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: The Report of the Tourism Policy Review Group, New Horizons for Irish Tourism: An Agenda for Action, was published in September 2003. It set out a 10 year Strategy for the tourism sector and laid down ambitious targets for the industry namely, 10 million visitors per annum and €6 billion in foreign revenue earnings by 2012. Following publication of the New Horizons Report, a high-level...

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: A Value for Money and Policy Review Report of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme has been completed by my Department. The Report examined, among other things, how the programme has worked to date and what changes, if any, are required to ensure its effective and efficient delivery. Following consideration of the recommendations in the Report, it is my intention to launch a new...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122, 338 and 339 together. Following the announcement of the Government's decentralisation programme in the 2004 Budget, my Department, which has a staff of 131 excluding the National Archives, was designated an "early mover" by the Decentralisation Implementation Group. (DIG). To date, 70 staff have relocated to temporary accommodation in Fossa, Killarney,...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: Under the Sports Capital Programme, which is administered by my Department, funding is allocated to sporting and community organisations. It is the main vehicle for development of sports facilities at local, regional and national level throughout the country. The 2008 Sports Capital Programme was advertised on 13th & 14th of January last and the closing date for receipt of applications is...