Results 21-40 of 25,425 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tidy Towns (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy is right. We all have teams who put up and take down the posters. There is a need to be careful because sometimes posters have been put up low on the pole first as it is easier, and then you have to go up and up until you are at the top of the pole. I am always very conscious of the possibility of somebody slipping and falling. Those putting up the posters need to be careful....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Community centres bring us together, whether for sporting, educational or social occasions. They provide a focal point for everyone in local communities and particularly for the most marginalised members of our society. In the past two years I have approved funding of over €75 million through the community centre investment fund. I am sure the Deputy will agree that this is a really...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The development and enhancement of community centres across the country has been a priority for the Government. This has been achieved through a range of my Department’s funding schemes, including the new community centre investment fund that I introduced two years ago. Under the 2022 fund, over €45.8 million has been committed for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The short answer is "Yes", as I am considering another round of funding. This is an issue that the Deputy has raised with me several times. Sports capital grants are successful and popular and have been on the go for a long time, but we had no dedicated fund for community centres. During Covid, we saw how they did not have the same opportunities to raise money. Like a house, if you do not...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I was at Hartstown with the former Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, when I announced €30 million for 12 new community centres whose applications had been received. That was two weeks ago and I have managed to visit six of them already. I hope to see the other six. Those projects arose where there were new communities and increased populations and they needed community centres. I was...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Policy (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 29, 32, 35 and 36 together. The outdoor recreation sector presents huge opportunities for us here in Ireland and I have put in place a range of initiatives to help us drive the sector forward. I launched Ireland’s first ever National Outdoor Recreation Strategy, Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors, in November 2022. It provides a strategic,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 19 and 20 together. The 2024 Revised Estimate provides my Department with total funding of €431 million for 2024, of which €221 million is current funding and €210 million is capital funding. Given the nature of the funding programmes and schemes operated by my Department most funding approvals are made on a multiannual basis. ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Harbours and Piers (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, Galway County Council is the responsible authority for the maintenance and development of pier infrastructure on the Aran Islands. In July 2023, I gave approval to Galway County Council to issue a request for tender for the development of the Inis Oírr pier. Galway County Council is the contracting authority and is therefore responsible for all aspects of the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Rural proofing is one of the tools that will help us to realise Our Rural Future’s vision of a vibrant and thriving rural Ireland. It is an approach that helps to ensure that major policy initiatives take full consideration of rural perspectives and issues at formulation stage. This means that across Government we are considering the impact that proposed policies may have on...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Services (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The provision of library services, including the provision of library buildings, is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001. Accordingly, the construction and refurbishment of libraries is primarily a matter for local authorities. I launched the new Public Library Strategy, 'The Library is the Place', in July 2023...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 34 and 42 together. Community centres are a vital resource for any community. They are where we go for community activities and events, and for social supports and social interaction. They are home to many of our cultural and sporting clubs. They are also where communities come together in times of difficulty and in times of celebration. I have...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I believe it is important for dog owners to be aware of their responsibilities - not just to the general public but also to their dogs. For this reason, I launched a major national awareness campaign to alert dog owners to their responsibilities and to raise awareness of the dangers that can be posed to people and to livestock by uncontrolled dogs. In addition, I announced the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, I launched Our Living Islands - the National Island Policy 2023-2033 in June of last year. Our Living Islands is a substantial document – a ten-year policy backed up by rolling three year action plans. It has time-bound commitments so that Departments and agencies across Government can be held to account for its implementation. Following the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, Galway County Council is the responsible authority for the maintenance and development of pier infrastructure on the Aran Islands, including Inis Meáin. There are regular meetings between officials from my department and Galway County Council to discuss and monitor the pier development in Inis Oírr and Inis Meáin. The last meeting was held on 16 April....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, Galway County Council is the responsible authority for the maintenance and development of pier infrastructure on the Aran Islands, including Inis Meáin. There are regular meetings between officials from my department and Galway County Council to discuss and monitor the pier development in Inis Oírr and Inis Meáin. The last meeting was held on 16...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 27 together. My Department operates a range of programmes and schemes that support economic and community development in urban and rural areas throughout the country. The targeted investments and supports which my Department provides to regional, rural and local communities through a wide range of initiatives promote social inclusion, rural, town and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Services (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: In July 2023, I launched the new Public Library Strategy 2023-2027 "The Library is the Place: Information, Recreation, Inspiration". This sets out 66 strategic actions under 9 strategic objectives and 3 strategic enablers for our public libraries, for the next five years. It is an ambitious forward-looking strategy which sets the direction of travel for the public library service and seeks...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Policies (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Government's 5 year rural development policy to 2025, commits to developing an effective rural proofing approach to ensure the needs of rural communities are fully considered in the development of Government policies. Last year, my Department published a body of research including the international experience of rural proofing which is available on the Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not usually maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded in the future. I recently announced over €40 million in funding for the 2024 and 2025 Schemes, having secured an additional once off funding in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded in the future. I recently announced €40 million in funding for the 2024 and 2025 Schemes. This announcement brings the total amount of funding provided for...