Author Archives: John
My week in the Dáil – 10th July 2016
Added July 13th, 2016
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Good news for Limerick beef farmers with improved access for Irish beef to the US market – O’Donovan
Added July 8th, 2016
The Minister for Tourism & Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD has said that the announcement of improved access for Irish beef into the US market is really good news for Limerick beef farmers.
“Any expansion of Irish beef into international markets is really good news for Limerick beef farmers who can seek to maximise their output.
“The Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, has confirmed to me that US authorities now recognise Ireland’s raw meat control system as equivalent to that of the US. In principle, this extends our US market access to include manufacturing beef intended for grinding, which is typically used in burgers and similar processed products. There is a really big market for this in the US.
“Furthermore the US market for grass fed, natural and organic beef, at which Ireland excels in producing, is estimated to be growing at approximately 20%+ per annum.
The Limerick TD said that “developing new markets for our beef is a key element of the Government’s Food Wise 2025 strategy. This decision regarding the US market, which is the result of intensive discussions and negotiations, is a real coup for Irish beef as Ireland is the first EU Member State to achieve this status in the US. This follows on from Ireland being the first EU Member State since the BSE crisis to be granted access into the US market for our beef in 2014.
“There is really significant potential now for Ireland to capitalise on the huge US beef market and I hope to see Limerick beef farmers benefitting from this.”
€9.2million in LEADER funding will support jobs and investment in Limerick – O’Donovan
Added July 8th, 2016
The Minister for Tourism & Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, has welcomed that allocation of €9,276,593.96 in Leader Funding for Limerick and has said that it will support jobs and investment in County.
“This funding for Limerick comes in the first batch of funding agreements under the LEADER Programme 2020.
The Limerick TD said that “it is great that this funding agreement with the Limerick local action group, who manage the fund, has been signed so quickly. It means that community groups and organisations across Limerick can now apply to them for funds for their local projects.
“The LEADER programme funds projects under a diverse range of themes that include enterprise development, rural tourism, social inclusion and the environment. The programme is co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. The previous LEADER programme delivered almost 10,000 projects throughout rural Ireland. In addition to supporting community-based projects, last year, LEADER funding supported over 800 enterprises and 400 jobs.
“As a Fine Gael Government TD I want to ensure that the fruits of our recovering economy are used to support local communities in Limerick. The whole idea behind LEADER funding is to empower local groups on the ground to prioritise where the money can be best spent. This will ensure that the people who really need it can benefit.”
My week in the Dáil – 3rd July 2016
Added July 5th, 2016
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My week in the Dáil – 26th June 2016
Added June 27th, 2016
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My week in the Dáil – 29th May 2016
Added June 1st, 2016
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O’Donovan welcomes Government support for Co. Limerick enterprise centres
Added June 1st, 2016
Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Patrick O’Donovan TD has welcomed the decision by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor to support the further development of Enterprise Units in Kantoher, Broadford, Newcastle West and Rathkeale. The Minister for Jobs announced funding for projects through Enterprise Ireland to support locally based enterprise centres to develop. A total of 48 projects nationally will receive funding amounting to €5million.
Patrick O’Donovan said he was glad to be able to support the Innovate Limerick application for funding for the projects concerned. He said that two applications had been made by Innovate Limerick for the appointment of a development officer to promote the centres at the Red Door, Newcastle West, the Kantoher Enterprise Centre and the Broadford Enterprise Centre. Separately a second allocation has been approved to provide additional incubation and small business space in the old Andersen Ireland Plant in Rathkeale.
“I worked very closely with Limerick City and County Council and the Rathkeale Community Council to secure the old Andersen Plant for job creation in Rathkeale. We succeeded in getting the building bought for the Community and it is fantastic to see jobs now back in the plant. I also helped to secure funding from the Department of Health in the last Dáil to provide a home for the Butterfly Club who work with special needs children in the now Rathkeale Enterprise Centre. I am delighted that the Department of Jobs and Enterprise Ireland have both recognised the role of the Rathkeale Centre by allocating these additional resources.”
Patrick O’Donovan congratulated Innovate Limerick on the work that they are doing across Co. Limerick in promoting small and medium sized enterprises. He said that the Government is committed to working with companies like Innovate Limerick to ensure job creation across rural communities is prioritised and he looked forward to continuing to work with Innovate Limerick and Limerick City & County Council in the time ahead.
O’Donovan honoured and delighted to be appointed as the Minister of State for Tourism and Sport
Added May 23rd, 2016
Limerick Fine Gael TD Patrick O’Donovan has said that he is “honoured and delighted to be appointed as the Minister of State for Tourism and Sport by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny.”
Patrick O’Donovan made history when he was appointed as a Minister last Thursday becoming the first Fine Gael TD from the old constituency of Limerick West and the first TD from the current constituency of Limerick County to be appointed as a Minister. He takes on full responsibility for both the Tourism and Sport sections of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Speaking after being appointed to his new role, Minister O’Donovan said he was “absolutely thrilled with the role.”
“I spent most of my first term in the Dáil as a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport during which time I gained a valuable knowledge of the area. I believe that this experience will be of huge value to me in my new role as Minister for Tourism and Sport.”
“2016 looks like being a fantastic year for Ireland in terms of tourism numbers and comes after a record year in 2015. I’m looking forward to leading the Government’s approach to the industry both at home and abroad and working to ensure that more people look at Ireland as a place to holiday in and to visit.”
The new Minister said that a number of very important national and international sports events will take place in the coming months which will show case Ireland and Irish sport, but he was keen to point out the importance of participation at all levels across the country. “We have seen over the last number of years the Government investment in developments in local sports facilities across the country and I hope as Minister to be able to continue that work into the future.”
Speaking at his homecoming to the constituency in Newcastle West on Thursday night last, where a large crowd of well wishers had gathered, Patrick O’Donovan thanked his supporters, family and friends together with the people from Co. Limerick who had voted for him and supported him. “Without the support and work of voluntary supporters I would not be in a position for the Taoiseach to consider appointing me as a Minister. I am so grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way in my career to date and I am really looking forward now to taking on my role as Minister for Tourism and Sport.
My week in the Dáil – 22nd May 2016
Added May 22nd, 2016
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O’Donovan “We must remember the Gardaí who gave their lives in the service of the State.”
Added May 11th, 2016
Limerick Fine Gael TD Patrick O’Donovan has paid tribute to the memory of Gardaí who lost their lives in the course of their service to the State. He raised the matter in the Dáil as the twentieth anniversary of murder of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe in Adare on the 7th June 1996 approaches. Patrick O’Donovan, speaking in a debate on crime in the Dáil said, that while members of the house had paid tribute to the work of An Garda Siochána, we needed to remember those who had their lives cut short in the course of their duty by those who targeted members of An Garda Siochána to pursue their own ends.
During the debate, Patrick O’Donovan paid tribute to Anne McCabe who he said “had kept his memory alive” and he also thanked the members of the Limerick Division of the Force for ensuring that he would never be forgotten by erecting a plaque in his memory in Adare. A concert in his memory will be held in the University of Limerick, at which the band of An Garda Siochána will take part.
After the debate Patrick O’Donovan said that it was vital that all public representatives who commit themselves to the rule of law must stand up and be counted in the defence of An Garda Siochána and our Defence Forces personnel.
“We must always remember the families of slain Gardaí whose grief will never go away. Here in Limerick we recall the memory of people like Séamus Quaid who was shot while on duty in Wexford in 1980. The security of our State has since 1922 depended on the courage and selfless commitment of people like Garda Séamus Quaid and others, who by in large, have operated as unarmed men and women in the service of their communities. For their families who are left behind it is important that the country they served, publicly remembers them, to show the current and future generations that these were true patriots who Ireland will for ever be indebted to.”
“We must never forget the events in our lifetime where certain groups and subversive organisations openly targeted members of An Garda Siochána and the Defence Forces in the pursuit of narrow unrepresentative political objectives. While Ireland is now in a new political era, those people who had their lives cut short because of the uniform that they wore must never be forgotten. We all have a duty to ensure that.”