Results 2,261-2,280 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Waterways Issues (1 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Provisions to amend the Canals Act 1986 so as to allow for the subsequent making of bye-laws to regulate boating on the canals and to manage the use of the canals are contained in The Heritage Bill 2016, which passed its 2nd Stage reading in Seanad Éireann on 20 January 2016. As the Deputy will appreciate, the 1988 Canal Bye-Laws have been in force for some 27 years and need to be...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting (1 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: As set out in the Programme for a Partnership Government, the Government recognises that domestic turf cutters have a traditional right to cut turf and that this right is balanced with the conservation objectives and legal obligations on the State. Significant efforts have been made by the State to resolve the issue of the protection of Ireland’s raised bog special areas of...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Film Industry (1 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The Irish Film Board is the national development agency for Irish filmmaking and the Irish film, television and animation industry. The Board supports and promotes the Irish screen industries at major international markets and festivals, promotes inward investment, the use of Ireland as a location for international production and provides support for companies filming in Ireland. The Film...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Promotion (1 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: While the provision for arts in the education system and the content of the school curriculum is primarily a matter for the Department of Education and Skills, I am firmly committed to continuing the work of the ongoing partnership between that Department, my own Department and the Arts Council, in line with the Arts in Education Charter. In this regard, I am pleased that the Programme for a...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Funding (1 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Private support for the arts is an important funding source and the Government continues to support this through tax incentives and other initiatives. The Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to encourage strong, mutually beneficial links between the business community and the arts community to assist arts organisations to capitalise on sponsorship opportunities and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Sites (1 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: While my Department often receives information relating to existing or potential risks to heritage sites or buildings, deemed to be at risk, from local authorities, the Heritage Council, heritage-based NGOs and members of the public, a single set of comprehensive statistics is not available in respect of the number and location of heritage sites or buildings deemed to be at risk throughout...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Funding (1 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for a Partnership Governmentcontains a very important commitment to work to progressively increase funding to the arts, including the Arts Council, as the economy continues to improve. The Arts Council in turn supports the work of local authorities in promoting the arts at local and community level. My Department also provides capital grants to assist in providing and...

Order of Business (2 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: One hundred lines.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Architectural Heritage (2 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No 379 of 24th May, 2016. No legislation exists to prevent orders being established on protected structures already under de-construction.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Cultural Policy (2 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Significant progress has been made in drafting the first National Cultural Policy - Culture 2025. This followed a major public consultation process in 2015, including a national cultural workshop held in October at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Work by my Department, the expert steering group and a wider expert committee continued on the document in early 2016 and is currently ongoing. The...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Vacancies on State Boards (2 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The information sought by the Deputy is provided in the following table. I would point out that the National Archives of Ireland has an Advisory Council rather than a Board. The Public Appointments Service operates a dedicated website, www.stateboards.ie, through which it advertises vacancies on State Boards. Arrangements are currently in train in cooperation with the Public Appointments...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Invasive Plant Species (8 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I am aware that there is a growing public awareness and concern about the impact of invasive species here, including Japanese Knotweed. In this regard, I wish to advise that my Department is responsible for the enforcement of the Wildlife Acts and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 477/2011), both of which prohibit the spreading of invasive...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Special Areas of Conservation (8 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: In accordance with the Planning and Development legislation, where, notwithstanding a determination that a proposed development will adversely affect the integrity of a European site (Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas), and in the absence of alternative solutions, where a competent authority (in this instance An Bord Pleanála) considers that consent should...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Cross-Border Co-operation (8 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: No cost benefit analysis has been undertaken regarding the development of Memoranda of Understanding between State Bodies under the remit of my Department and their counterparts in Northern Ireland in relation to delivering the services for which they are responsible on an all-Island basis. However, my Department is co-sponsor of two of the North-South Implementation Bodies established...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Data (8 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The ongoing collection and updating of relevant data in relation to operational and policy matters is an integral part of the work of my Department and the work of the bodies under its aegis. As part of this ongoing process, a significant degree of cooperation also takes place with our counterpart Departments and agencies in Northern Ireland. With specific reference to the two North-South...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Cultural Policy (8 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for a Partnership Government contains a very important commitment to work to progressively increase funding to the arts, including the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board, as the economy continues to improve. I can assure the Deputy that I will be engaging with my colleagues in Government and with the Oireachtas to seek to advance this commitment in the context of the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Waterways Ireland (8 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 381 to 383, inclusive, together. I am advised by Waterways Ireland that it has redeployed no staff on the Shannon Navigation since 2012. Currently, 37 members of staff are employed on the North Shannon at the following locations: Roosky (6), Athlone (6), Albert Lock (3), Kilclare (1), Clarendon/Drumshanbo (1), Tarmonbarry/Cleendra (1), Knockvicar (12) and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Council Funding (8 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I understand that this festival has been funded by the Arts Council in the past. In this regard, the Arts Council operates under the provisions of the Arts Act 2003, which provides, inter alia, that the Council is independent in the performance of its functions in funding the Arts. It may be noted that the Arts Council operates an appeals procedure which the applicants may wish to consider.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Council (8 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The Arts Council is audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General is submitted to the Houses of the Oireachtas and is available in the Oireachtas Library. The report is also published in the Annual Report of the Arts Council and is available on the website of the Arts Council.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Special Areas of Conservation (8 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 386 and 387 Ireland remains committed to the implementation of the EU Nature Directives. To this end, Ireland has identified 430 sites for protection as special areas of conservation under the Habitats Directive and 154 sites for protection as special protection areas under the Birds Directive. The matter of further designations being required has arisen for...