Results 21-40 of 24,447 for speaker:Jerry Buttimer

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Voluntary Sector (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the Deputy for raising this very important matter and he is right that it is a recurring theme when we speak to people who are very committed to the work they do. The Government's five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector, Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities, was published six years ago. It is a whole-of-government strategy, led by our Department...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Voluntary Sector (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I am committed to continuing to provide supports to the community and voluntary sector. I am not absolving us from any role here but our Department does not set terms and conditions of pay. We are very much of the view that it is about supporting the community and voluntary sector. My priority is to create an environment where the sector can thrive, that is enabling and empowering, and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rural Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the Deputy for her question. Community wealth building is, indeed, a long-standing commitment of the Deputy and her party. As she knows well, the concept refers to a range of approaches to local economic development. While the Department under the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and me does not have a dedicated community wealth building fund as such, our wide range of policies and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rural Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the Deputy. If we look at the example and model we have here in SICAP, which is our country’s primary social inclusion intervention, it supports communities. I am well aware of Cleveland and Preston. I am not aware of the Ayrshire model and would be happy to discuss that further. I have looked at Cleveland’s model in particular. To give the House an example,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rural Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: As the Deputy knows, the Department is progressing a number of initiatives and policies that provide both urban and rural regeneration through an integrated strategic way of delivering supports, programme schemes and co-ordinating measures to address social disadvantage and imbalance in our communities or, in some cases, a lack of opportunity. I gave the example of the national policy on...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Library Services (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the Deputy for his continuing support for our national library programme. When we served together in the Seanad, he was a strong advocate for library services. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I, as Minister of State with responsibility for libraries, are investing in our library services. They are a key priority for both of us and for the Department and that is reflected in the...

Seanad: Transport Policy: Statements (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: Cuirim fáilte roimh cuairteoirí an Teachta Neville. Ar an gcéad dul síos ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil agus comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis na Seanadóirí a bhí páirteach sa díospóireacht faoin gcóras iompar poiblí agus earnáil na heitlíochta. Díospóireacht an-tábhachtach agus...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Library Projects (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to reform and strengthen local government, to further support it in its responsibility for the delivery of many essential services including libraries. The provision of library services is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001. Investing in our library network is...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Social Isolation (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: My Department’s mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. A number of programmes and funding streams from my department support services and activities for older people with a proportion of these services delivered in community facilities all over Ireland.   My...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Community Development Projects (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I am aware of the challenges facing community groups in relation to running costs, such as utility bills. Since 2018 the Local (Community) Enhancement Programme has provided funding for community and voluntary groups. Although mostly capital in nature, a number of the iterations over the years included a current element of funding. The Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2025 included...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Social Enterprise Sector (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I would like to acknowledge the valuable work of social enterprises, and the meaningful impact they have on the lives of people in our communities. They frequently work to support disadvantaged groups such as the long-term unemployed, people with disabilities, the Traveller community, etc., or to address issues such as childcare, food poverty, social housing, our ageing population or...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Community Development Projects (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: Community-run shops and cafés are a vital part of many communities. I recognise the enormous benefit and impact that these social enterprises have in both urban and rural locations, offering training and employment opportunities, a place to volunteer and providing, in many cases, an important ‘hub’ where members of a community can meet, enjoy each other’s company, or...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Community Development Projects (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: My Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports 427 community organisations through 446 services to provide employment opportunities and the delivery of local services, through a social enterprise model, with a budget of €55.4m for 2025. In relation to funding for the CSP in 2025, an additional funding allocation of €3m was provided to the Programme in 2025.

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: The Seniors Alert Scheme helps older people to remain in their communities through the provision of personal monitored alarms, enabling them to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. Funding is available under the scheme towards the purchase, via a registered community-based organisation, of a personal alarm or pendant. Since the scheme was launched...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Water Safety (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: Water Safety Ireland (WSI), which comes under the aegis of my Department, is the statutory, voluntary body established to promote water safety and reduce drownings in Ireland. WSI has statutory responsibility for the promotion of public awareness of water safety; the advancement of education related to the prevention of accidents in water; instruction in water safety; and the establishment of...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Regeneration Projects (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: My Department is responsible for a range of initiatives tackling deprivation and revitalising communities in both rural and urban areas. Key programmes include the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), the Empowering Communities Programme and providing funding for the Dublin North East Inner City initiative. My Department is making significant progress in revitalising...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Library Services (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: The provision of library services, including the delivery of the Right to Read programme, is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001. The Right to Read Programme was launched in 2017 to support reading and literacy across all counties. In 2021, Right to Read was expanded to incorporate the Little Library...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Library Services (10 Jul 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: 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. Notwithstanding this, investing in our library service is a key priority for my Department and this is reflected in the Public Library Strategy 'The Library is the Place', which was launched...