Results 2,281-2,300 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Raised Bog Management Plan (8 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The national peatlands strategy makes it clear that greater clarity must be brought to the process of how turf cutting on blanket bog special areas of conservation is to be managed in compliance with the requirements of the EU Habitats Directive and the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive. The aim is to have in place a workable system for the management of turf cutting on these sites....

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

Heather Humphreys: My office endeavours to answer all representations, from both public representatives and members of the public, within our specified customer service timeframes and follows up on all unanswered representations routinely. In the period specified by the Deputy, I received 513 representations from members of the Houses of the Oireachtas. Replies had issued in respect of 394 of these by 31 May...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Funding (9 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: Arts Funding (9 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Under the Arts Act 2003, primary responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. Last September, my Department completed and published a comprehensive review of the Arts Council’s activities and operation over the period 2009 to 2012. It was undertaken by my Department’s Evaluation Unit under the guidance of an...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Legislative Programme (9 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Steps are in hand to re-instate the Heritage Bill 2016 for consideration at Committee Stage in Seanad Éireann. The Bill will provide, inter alia, for the amendment of the Wildlife Acts to revise and update arrangements for the cutting and burning of vegetation and the cutting of hedgerows. I am also proposing that two further Bills will be introduced in the current session –...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Cultural Policy (9 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 Governmentcontains 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 to...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Plan (9 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: Cultural Policy (9 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: Hedge Cutting Season (14 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976, as amended, prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August during the nesting and breeding season for birds and wildlife. Following a review of Section 40, which involved, inter alia, consideration of submissions from interested parties, I announced proposals in December...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Scéimeanna Teanga (14 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Is féidir liom a chinntiú go ndearna mo chomhghleacaí, an tAire Oideachais agus Scileanna, teagmháil liom i dtaca leis an bpróiseas comhairliúcháin atá tosaithe d’fhonn tuairimí a fháil a chuirfeadh bonn eolais faoi ullmhú Ráiteas Straitéise a Roinne. Tá mo Roinnse ag breathnú ar na ceisteanna a ardaíodh...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Inland Waterways Development (14 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The Waterways Ireland Action Plan for Grand Canal Dock and Spencer Dock sets out Waterways Ireland's proposals to ensure that both Grand Canal Dock and Spencer Dock are developed to deliver their full potential to both the city of Dublin, and the wider canal network. A Programme Manager, who will take up duty in July 2016, has recently been appointed by Waterways Ireland to progress delivery...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (14 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: As Chair of the National Famine Commemoration Committee, I am responsible for ensuring that appropriate arrangements are in place to commemorate the Great Irish Famine. In carrying out these functions, my main focus is to ensure that the victims of the Irish Famine are respectfully and appropriately remembered. In that context, I also seek to raise awareness of current food security issues...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Expenditure (14 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 383 and 384 together. I am advised by my Department that no payments in 2015 were made in respect of copies of the Public Sector Times Magazine. Expenditure in respect of daily newspapers was €8,269 in 2015. Digital subscriptions are also used where appropriate and expenditure on these in 2015 came to €448. Savings are being explored by my...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Staff Data (14 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 385 to 387, inclusive, together. The guidelines issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the staffing of Ministerial Offices provide that the number of staff in a Minister’s Constituency Office may not exceed four, including a Personal Secretary and a Personal Assistant in cases where a Minister appoints people in...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Expenditure (14 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I was very pleased to have secured funding of almost €50 million for the Decade of Centenaries subhead, the majority of which is allocated towards the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme. This includes approximately €31 million in capital funding for major projects including the new commemorative and visitor centre at the GPO and the refurbishment and redevelopment of Richmond...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Funding (14 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 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: Departmental Bodies Data (14 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The information sought by the Deputy is provided in the following Table. It may be noted 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 co-operation with the Public Appointments...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Flood Prevention Measures (14 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The Office of Public Works (OPW) and local authorities are the principal response agencies with regard to the management of flooding episodes. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is part of my Department, which has the statutory responsibility to advise on the protection of habitats and species identified for nature conservation, including designating sites as Natural Heritage...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Parks and Wildlife Service (14 Jun 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised that the then Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government entered into a lease, on 21 February 2002, in respect of the lands and landowner referred to by the Deputy. The term of that lease is for thirty years from 1 January 2002. My Department keeps this lease under review on an ongoing basis to ensure that it continues to contribute to nature conservation...