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Results 61-80 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Tourism Industry. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: As an island nation, air access to this country is more crucial than it is for those European countries which enjoy easy land access. The loss of air routes to us is unquestionably a negative because we need access to as many places as we can and we need as many places as possible to have access to us. There is no doubt that there has been a reduction in the number of services. The airline...

Tourism Industry. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: Ironically, the routes into Europe grew last year in spite of the difficulties in the industry. The potential for the Italian, French and Nordic markets is substantial. We spoke earlier about the phenomenal potential in the Asian market if we can get the visa situation resolved. One of the developments required at Dublin Airport is to ensure the runway is long enough for aeroplanes to come...

Tourism Industry. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: I have not heard any specific complaint in regard to translation services. In terms of European languages, we can always do better but the level of proficiency is generally quite good. Tourism Ireland has put a new location into the Middle East in order to develop the Middle East and Far East markets. If we are to be successful in that regard, we must be able to cater for people who speak...

Tourism Industry. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: Since last year a significant problem has emerged in the car rental industry. It is a lucrative industry because those tourists who rent cars tend to be high-end spenders. The number of cars available this year is having a real impact. The same is happening in the United States and Spain, where there is a major shortage because finance companies are not interested. I have spoken to the...

Tourism Industry. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: I am familiar with this issue from my time in the Department of Transport. There is agreement between all the parties now. There were some elements of integrated ticketing emerging and my colleague, the Minister for Transport, is pushing to achieve this. I agree, for ease of access for both tourists and Irish people, particularly in the capital, it would transform things to have a simple...

Tourism Industry. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: As we all know, the hotel sector generally had a difficult trading year in 2009. Declines in personal spending and consumer confidence and unfavourable exchange rates across our major source markets had a significant impact on the numbers of overseas and domestic tourists staying in Irish hotels. In this context, my officials and I are in frequent contact with individual hoteliers and the...

Tourism Industry. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy and I have been ad idem regarding her point for some time. That we have both raised the issue in our respective ways has been helpful. Obviously, I have discussed the matter with the Minister for Finance and raised it at the Cabinet table, where I intend to keep it. The construction and operation of NAMA will be crucial and I cannot countenance a situation in which hotels that...

Tourism Industry. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy probably knows the answer. That issue was raised in our pre-budget considerations, but it is not a road the Government has gone down. There are inherent dangers, in that-----

Tourism Industry. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: I heard rumours.

Tourism Industry. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: -----it could be applied across the system. It would be a win-win scenario for someone who failed,-----

Tourism Industry. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: -----but that is not the intention of any scheme and certainly not this one.

Sports Funding. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: Government support for the horse and greyhound racing industries is provided under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund, which was established under section 12 of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001. Funding of both Horseracing Ireland and Bord na gCon supports two important productive industries and helps to sustain the important role of horse and greyhound breeding and training...

Sports Funding. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: If I am correct the figure the Deputy gave of €1.5 billion covers specifically the horse racing element because the figure for off-shore betting is more substantial, being in the region of €3.5 billion. It covers many areas, not least of which is on-line poker and all the other such activities that are taking place. The Minister for Finance is specifically engaged in this matter with...

Sports Funding. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: I do not disagree with the Deputy but, clearly, we cannot do anything that would be illegal.

Sports Funding. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: I am not suggesting the Deputy is but that is where the complexity of the issue arises. Clearly, we want to do something that will work, which is our primary objective, and that will increase the tax revenue accruing to the State in order that we can make sure that the horse and greyhound fund, effectively, is entirely funded from the industries. That, essentially, is the Deputy's point,...

Sports Funding. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: It is my intention that we will have a solution prior to the budget that will be introduced at the end of this year and that such a solution will be included in the provisions of that budget. I know that is also the intention of the Minister for Finance.

Tax Code. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: As I stated in my written reply of 21 January 2010, the original intention of the legislation referred to by the Deputy was, inter alia, to create an environment in which the arts could flourish and also to encourage Irish artists on modest incomes to remain here rather than going abroad to earn a living. Under subsection (12) of section 195 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, there is...

Tax Code. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: I am smiling.

Tax Code. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: I do not want to, nor do I believe it is the Deputy's intention, to necessarily focus on one particular individual.

Tax Code. (17 Feb 2010)

Martin Cullen: We have had very good examples in this respect and some books have been very good and very interesting. The issue is subjective and that is the difficulty here. The Arts Council has a view and it has expressed some views to me on this matter. I do not want to say that it takes a narrow focus but it takes one that is very much on the artistic side, if I could put it that way. For example,...

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