Results 261-280 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Proposed Legislation. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: As we progress the Bill and make final decisions on its possible content, some of the Deputy's questions will be answered. The institute will have a board and four or five key staff members have been recruited, including a chief science officer, an athlete services officer, a chief medical officer and a chief technical officer. The Bill arose from studies following the Athens Olympics and...

Proposed Legislation. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I am examining this issue generally in terms of sport. On the one hand, we must ensure experts have enough autonomy to do their jobs and, on the other, ensure the entire effort lines up in the same direction to achieve a result. This might seem contradictory, but I do not believe it is. I am referring to the necessary amount of autonomy to ensure we play as a team. It is a whopper of a...

Tourism Industry. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 351 to 353, inclusive, together. We have been fortunate in recent years to enjoy record growth in numbers of overseas visitors and associated revenue. While final Central Statistics Office, CSO, figures are not yet available, the estimates are that in 2007 alone we welcomed almost 8 million overseas visitors to the Republic of Ireland, with associated...

Tourism Industry. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: This year will be challenging for the Irish tourism industry, particularly given the situation regarding currency markets and oil prices. I do not think we should hide behind this, however, as to do so would be unfair to the fine Irish tourism industry. The new Northern Ireland Executive together with Tourism Ireland, which is more determined than ever and has an increased budget, will...

Tourism Industry. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: In study after study the issue of signposting has repeatedly been mentioned as an irritant when it is not done properly. I will raise this issue again with the agencies involved. The UK market slipped but I understand it has bounced back and Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland are taking account of the fact that it should be our easiest target due to its proximity. Money invested in the UK...

Tourism Industry. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: A restructuring has occurred due to very high property prices and this has affected not only hotels but service stations and such sites. All over the country hotels are becoming apartment blocks and residential sites but, given changes in the property market, I think this will be short-lived and will slow substantially. The conference centre will meet one of the requirements the Deputy...

Tourism Industry. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I do not wish to name them but there are many large hotels with hundreds of bedrooms and planning applications are in the pipeline for similar sized hotels in different locations such as the financial services centre. I will consider it but I am not aware of a shortage of conference centre facilities with associated bedroom space, which is the point made by the Deputy. The agencies are not...

Arts Council. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 121 together. Funding of the Arts Council, as with all Departments and State agencies, is a matter for consideration under the annual budget and Estimates process. In doing so, the Government must balance competing demands from every part of our economy and society. I am aware of the Arts Council's desire to have multi-annual budgets, having met with...

Arts Council. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I have informed the Arts Council that I will continue to pursue its interest in multi-annual funding. This should not distract the council from being able to anticipate a fairly strong level of funding and to be accurate in anticipating what that funding will be. If it considers the funding for recent years, it will be in a good position to calculate what the annual figures should be. I...

Arts Council. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I can see the need for advance funding in the case of a special event. I have said to the Arts Council and to the other agencies under the aegis of the Department that if such a situation arises, the Department can discuss how the organisation being bid for can be reassured that the amount of payment will not be an issue. My Department could work with the Arts Council if it needs to pursue...

Arts Council. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: We should not confuse two streams of funds. The annual Arts Council funding is current money——

Arts Council. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I was about to explain that the second stream of money is called ACCESS and this provides capital money. I will make an announcement about those capital funds shortly. A total of €184 million in the national development programme is provided specifically for the kind of bricks and mortar and investment in infrastructure to which the Deputy refers. There would be no need to have...

Museum Projects. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: Capital funding of €45 million is provided in the culture sub-programme of the National Development Plan 2007-2013, for a major development programme at the Irish Museum of Modern Art at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. This development programme will enhance the museum's position as a major national and international venue for the exhibition of modern art. In 2008, the museum will receive...

Museum Projects. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: Recently, I paid two visits to IMMA to see it for myself. A total of €45 million is earmarked in the cultural sub-programme of the national development plan. I wish to confirm that it does not and cannot come out of the ACCESS programme.

Museum Projects. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I wish to be clear on this because substantial confusion arises on it. IMMA has been offered exhibition space in the Westgate building being erected on St. John's Road near Heuston Station. The provision of this cultural space is a condition of the planning permission the developer received for the Westgate project. The offer to IMMA of this cultural space is being considered by its board...

Museum Projects. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I thank the Deputy and pay tribute to the staff of IMMA who put in a great deal of hard work. I will take up the issues she raised as soon as possible.

Tourism Industry. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: Under the National Tourism Development Authority Act 2003, the individual actions and measures relating to tourism promotion and development at regional level are day-to-day functions of State agencies. The Government is taking a number of steps to support the agencies in pursuing the objective of ensuring as wide as possible a spread of tourism business throughout the country. During 2008...

Tourism Industry. (12 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: It is not that Fáilte Ireland decided not to promote it. It will continue to be promoted. However, Fáilte Ireland will not administer it and will let the self-catering industry develop its own strategies. With regard to regional tourism, in 2006 70% of total tourism revenue was spent in regions outside of Dublin, which is a significant figure.

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (7 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: The following table sets out the amount of electricity used in the offices of my Department in Kildare Street for the past three years on a monthly basis. The billing system changed from bimonthly to monthly in May 2005. The usage figures in the KWH column for the months May 2005 to April 2006 inclusive are estimated average figures. Date KWH â'¬ Date KWH â'¬ Jan/Feb 2005 58,988...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (5 Feb 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 425 and 426 together. The statutory bodies under the aegis of my Department and their dates of establishment are listed in my Department's Statement of Strategy 2005-2007 and Annual Reports which are available on my Department's website. Campus and Stadium Ireland Ltd (CSID) has been replaced by the National Sports Campus Development Authority (NSCDA). The...