Results 61-80 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Arts Funding. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: As Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism I have responsibility for the promotion of the per cent for art scheme. At present my Department is chairing the interdepartmental public art committee. This committee is examining the current guidelines for the scheme and it will report to me on the matter early in due course. In that context, information on investment under the scheme is being...

Arts Funding. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: This scheme goes back a long way, to 1978, when the Office of Public Works established an artistic embellishment scheme based upon the principles of the per cent for art scheme, whereby 1% of all construction budgets could be applied to an artistic feature. In 1986 the Department of the Environment established a similar scheme and the Minister with responsibility for arts became involved...

Arts Funding. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I take note of that.

National Aquatic Centre. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together. The National Aquatic Centre is operated by NSCDA (Operations) Ltd., a subsidiary company of the National Sports Campus Development Authority. All day-to-day operations of the National Aquatic Centre are a matter for the authority and the operations company. When the National Aquatic Centre was restored to the ownership of the NSCDA not only...

National Aquatic Centre. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: No club could accept the situation in which the club in question finds itself. I am anxious and have instructed officials — in so far as they are involved because this is a matter for the centre as opposed to officials — that an agreement acceptable to the centre and the club should be reached. I told the House previously at Question Time that the centre should at least break even on...

National Aquatic Centre. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: Attendance figures for the NAC in 2007 amounted to 540,000 and its financial performance in the first quarter of this year has been better than in the first quarter of 2007. Its performance is improving.

National Aquatic Centre. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: Granted. The CEO position has been advertised and someone of a strong nature has been identified. The post will be filled shortly. It is legitimate that the taxpayer should fund the capital cost. However, the taxpayer is entitled to seek to have the day-to-day costs covered in so far as they can. I did not insist on that this year and instead agreed to a current subsidy of €1.8 million,...

National Aquatic Centre. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: The Government and everyone in the House are fully supportive of the NAC and wish it success.

Horseracing Ireland. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: Government support for the horse and greyhound racing industries is provided under the horse and greyhound racing fund which was established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001 for the purpose of further developing both racing industries. Under the provisions of the 2001 Act, the fund receives a guaranteed level of finance based on excise duty on off-course betting in the preceding...

Horseracing Ireland. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: On-line betting and technology certainly has changed the nature of many industries, including this one. The Deputy will recall this goes back to 2001, when the House enacted the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act. It considered it to be a formula to — pardon the pun — ring-fence the income and support for the horse and greyhound racing industries. The view taken in 2001 was that the...

Horseracing Ireland. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I am unsure whether I have received a formal recommendation. I receive regular submissions from Horse Racing Ireland but I do not recall a specific one on that subject.

Horseracing Ireland. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I also should point out that this area substantially is a matter for the Minister for Finance.

Tourism Industry. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I am aware that VRT relief on cars used in the short-term car hire industry was introduced in the Finance Act 1992 and amended subsequently in 1993, 1994 and 1998. The measure is aimed at boosting supply of hired cars to facilitate the development of the tourism industry. I am advised by my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, that the measure has been abused by some in the car...

Tourism Industry. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: We keep a close eye on the scheme to ensure it does what is intended. The long list of avoidance practices which gave rise to concerns include breaking a long-term hire into a number of shorter term hires, providing different cars of the same type or model, including replacement cars within the short-term fleet and providing vehicles as insurance replacements. A concession originally...

Arts and Culture Plan. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 9 together. Government policy on the arts is set out in the programme for Government and elaborated further in my Department's statement of strategy and my recently published arts and culture plan 2008. One of the stated objectives of this policy is to encourage and support the strategic development of the arts in geographic communities and communities...

Arts and Culture Plan. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: The NESF report, about which I have spoken publicly, points out that access to the arts is an issue and artistic exclusion is as painful in many ways as social exclusion. I fully accept that and intend to work towards the solutions it suggests. Other issues arise regarding, for example, access by non-nationals to the artistic world in a strategic context. I recently published the...

Arts and Culture Plan. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: Yes. On page five of the Arts and Culture Plan 2008, I propose a national cultural day in order to welcome a new audience. It is debatable whether it can be expanded beyond a day or whether it should be focused on a few hours. The concept of focusing in this way is almost simplistic but it highlights the importance of a national cultural day. It can be put together along the lines of the...

Arts and Culture Plan. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: That is a useful suggestion which I will examine more closely.

Sports and Public Health. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: The Government recognises the major role that sport can play in enhancing the health of people through active participation. The Irish Sports Council, ISC, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body responsible for encouraging the promotion, development and co-ordination of competitive sport and for increasing participation in recreational sport. My Department and the ISC...

Sports and Public Health. (13 Mar 2008)

Séamus Brennan: We are all learning that health is a multifaceted area that needs to be supported and tackled with a range of resources. We referred to obesity and research and how sport can be used as a weapon against obesity, and by virtue of that against ill health. The role of the alcohol industry is an important one. The question is whether we can continue the double think of supporting the industry...