Results 181-200 of 9,373 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I was delighted to visit Lough Lannagh with the Deputy and Senator Chambers some months ago. To be honest, the Deputy brought me but he should probably invite all the chief executives of local authorities around the country to see what is in Castlebar. It is a fantastic facility. I cannot give any commitments here on the floor of the Dáil to any particular projects but that type of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: There will be a competitive process for this. We will not be building stadiums all around Ireland. I want to get that message out. It is not financially possible to do that. Every application will have to come either from a local authority or a national governing body, or perhaps an education and training board. Those organisations then have to stand over the project and deliver it....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister and I have already confirmed that a new round of the large-scale sports infrastructure fund will open for applications in the first half of this year. We are still working out the dates and terms and conditions. They will be confirmed in due course. The programme is aimed primarily at national governing bodies of sport and local authorities but others such as philanthropic...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputy for his comments. I have mentioned already the funding the Government gave the Football Association of Ireland in 2020 and it has looked at that over the past number of years. There was a real danger that the FAI would become inoperable if that funding was not provided at the time. The main funding levers through which the Government operates for infrastructure are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Local authorities, to some extent take their responsibilities seriously in sports but I think that they have a great deal more to do. We especially invite applications under the large-scale sports infrastructure fund from local authorities in the coming round because local authorities have the capabilities to put these projects together. There must be an emphasis on participation, on...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The memorandum of understanding agreed in early 2020 between the Government and the FAI allowed Sport Ireland to restore funding of €2.9 million per annum to the association and to provide additional annual funding of €2.9 million for football development up to and including 2023. The memorandum also provided for a repayable grant of €7.6 million to the FAI towards the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The National Sports Policy, which was published in 2018, provided for a new Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The aim of the fund is to provide Exchequer support for larger sports projects and facilities where the required Exchequer investment is greater than the maximum amount available under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme. During 2020, allocations of...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 18 together. Capital funding for sport is provided though the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sport and Recreational Development (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Sport Ireland is the agency responsible for the development of sport in Ireland and in that capacity oversees the delivery of a wide range of funding and other services to support Team Ireland's participation in the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. These supports are delivered in accordance with the Sport Ireland High Performance Strategy 2021-2032 which is entering its fourth year of...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998 bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sport and Recreational Development (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Through Dormant Accounts funding, Sport Ireland has a dedicated fund, "Volunteer Supports", to which the Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) and National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) can apply for funding. The "Volunteer Supports" initiative aims to identify and assist targeted individuals who are volunteering in disadvantaged communities or with people with disabilities to gain community...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Middle East (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Issues regarding the participation by individuals and teams in international sporting competitions are matters for the relevant international governing bodies of sport. The international federations (FIBA, the International Basketball Federation in this instance) have a leadership role for their global games and it is at this level that strategic decisions should be taken rather than by...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Equality Issues (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The Government is unequivocal in its stance against all forms of violence, racism, discrimination and other forms of abuse in sport and gives effect to this position through a variety of measures. In particular, Sport Ireland has a specific Policy on Diversity and Inclusion in Sport and this was published in May 2022. The policy expresses a vision for a sport sector that celebrates diversity,...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Swimming Pools (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The National Sports Policy, which was published in 2018, provided for the establishment of a Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The aim of the LSSIF is to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects where the Exchequer investment would be greater than the maximum amount available under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP). The first call for...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Capital funding for sport is provided though the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Facilities (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: My Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme and the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund. Both of these capital programmes are demand-driven. Local authorities also play a key role in identifying land for sports and recreation as part of the local development plan process. The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sport and Recreational Development (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: Addressing female participation at all levels in sport is an important element of the National Sports Policy and a core priority for myself and Minister Catherine Martin. That includes women in leadership positions such as board members of National Governing Bodies (NGBs). The Sports Action Plan set a target for all NGBs to achieve 40% gender representation on their boards by the end of...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998 bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Events (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: The Government continues to support the hosting of major sports events in Ireland and to explore further hosting opportunities. This is evidenced by the Government’s support for events such as the US College Football Classic every August from 2022 – 2026, the hosting of the UEFA Europa League Final in 2024, the Ryder Cup in 2027 in Limerick and the EURO 2028 football...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Facilities (15 Feb 2024)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 51 together. Addressing female participation in sport and physical activity is an important element of the National Sports Policy 2018-2027. Since the introduction of the Women in Sport Programme in 2005, the participation gradient between females and males has reduced from 15.7% to 5% in 2022. Further narrowing and ultimate elimination of the...