Results 2,981-3,000 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Ministerial Advisers Appointments (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I have appointed two special advisers, which is fully in line with normal practice as provided for by section 11(1) of the Public Service Management Act 1997 (No. 27 of 1997). I can confirm that there have been no additional special advisers appointed by either myself or the Ministers of State in my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Staff Recruitment (30 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised that staffing levels across all divisions in my Department are kept under regular review in line with emerging business needs as part of the Department's workforce planning process. When posts become vacant for any reason, they are not treated in isolation as vacancies to be automatically filled. Instead, the continuing requirement for such vacant posts is critically examined...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Economic Development Zones (30 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for a Partnership Governmenthighlights the importance of town and village renewal in revitalising rural Ireland. In the last number of months, I have introduced a number of schemes which will support the development of towns and villages all over Ireland. In August, I launched a new Town and Village Renewal Scheme which has allocated funding of almost €10 million to 172...

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

Heather Humphreys: This Government aims to deliver balanced development across the regions so that as the economy recovers, the benefits are felt across the country. Responsibility for key elements of the Government's regional development strategy is shared across a number of Government Departments and State agencies. One of the key European funding lines which aims to address regional imbalances across...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Ulster Canal Restoration Project (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: One of my main priorities since taking Ministerial office has been the restoration of the Ulster Canal. I secured Government approval to restore a 2.5 km stretch of the Ulster Canal from the Shannon-Erne Waterway to the International Scout Centre at Castle Saunderson, Co Cavan on 24th February 2015. The work to reopen this stretch of the Ulster Canal continues to progress. Waterways...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I am pleased to have the opportunity to address the committee again on the 2016 Estimates for my Department. These Estimates were originally considered by the committee on 5 July this year and voted by the Dáil on 7 July. While the Estimates took account of the transfer of functions and resources from my Department to include new responsibilities regarding regional and rural affairs,...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: There has been some virement of Leader funding. We were unable to spend all the Leader funding this year, mainly because it was later in the year when the contracts were signed. It is all going well now. On this basis, I wanted to ensure we could spend as much of our allocation as possible. Therefore, there has been some virement, and €22 million has gone into the rural economic...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The breakdown is €3 million to Waterways Ireland, €6 million to natural heritage, the National Parks and Wildlife Service-----

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Yes. It was to meet the costs arising in 2016 associated with Government-agreed compensation for turf cutters affected by measures implemented to support compliance with the EU habitats directive and to provide for essential repair works on foot of the considerable damage caused by severe flooding last winter at a range of locations. There was €2.4 million for Údarás na...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: That came from the A15 head as well.

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Some of it would be from subhead A15, the decade of centenaries, which went into the National Gallery.

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: No underspend is anticipated. The funding that was in the Leader programme has all gone back into rural Ireland and any funding we anticipated was not going to be spent there was put into programmes such as the REDZ schemes, town and village regeneration and CLÁR. Expenditure is closely monitored and will continue to be as we head towards the end of the year. There are a number of...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: All the virements have been approved by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The funding under schemes such as CLÁR, the rural development scheme, town and village renewal and the rural recreation scheme is being paid to the local authorities in 2016 by my Department in line with approved sanction and on the basis of their project proposals and funding agreements with the...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: No, I said that was the maximum I could carry over.

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will appreciate that I have had to do 12 months work in seven months, because it took some time for the Department to be formed. When the functions were transferred to my Department we started to roll out the Leader programme immediately. It is something about which I am very conscious. The €13.5 million is the maximum I can carry over. If it is less, I cannot give the...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Delays happen, unfortunately.

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Much of the funding will be spent in rural areas but a great deal of what is being carried over is in the arts area. I have been very conscious of all the money for rural Ireland being spent there. The majority of the money is in the arts area. With big capital projects there sometimes are delays. In many cases one is dealing with sensitive heritage buildings and issues can arise that...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I will give the Deputy the outline on the arts programme and how the budget is made up. A total of €2.9 million goes into regional museums; €5 million for Cork events centre; €5.5 million for Culture Ireland; €9.9 million for cultural infrastructure, €14.471 million for the Irish Film Board; €39.132 million for the national cultural institutions;...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: With regard to funding, the Leader programme this time is smaller than the previous programme because the funding for the rural development programme was much less than in the last programme. To be clear, the west Cork LCDC was selected by an independent selection committee. I have no input into that, and the decision was upheld, upon appeal, that west Cork LCDC would roll out the Leader...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (1 Dec 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I understand the west Cork LCDC has a presence; it is based in Cork.