Results 3,561-3,580 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Schemes (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Towns and villages are at the heart of our rural communities and the Programme for a Partnership Government recognises that the renewal of towns and villages can play an important role in revitalising rural Ireland. Last year, therefore, I launched a new Town and Village Renewal Scheme, with funding of €10 million, to start the process of rejuvenating Ireland’s rural towns and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Development Plan (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Action Plan for Rural Development, which was launched on 23 January last, contains a number of measures which have the objective of supporting the rejuvenation of rural Ireland, including the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Rural Recreation Infrastructure scheme, and the CLÁR programme. The aim of all of these measures is to make rural Ireland, including its towns, villages and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Voluntary Sector Funding (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: My Department operates a wide range of funding schemes across all areas of its remit. Details of these schemes, and announcements in respect of funding allocations are made available on my Department's website. Details of annual expenditure are also published each year in the Department's Annual Appropriation Account. In view of the large number of schemes concerned it would not be...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Contracts Data (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised that no private investigation firms have been engaged by my department in the past five years or to date in 2017 .

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: As I outlined previously, officials from my Department had a very positive meeting with the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland to discuss some of the concerns over the canals provisions. Many of the issues covered in the amendments were discussed along with other canal-related issues. There was a shared understanding on both sides of the importance of the canals to rural areas for...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Yes. We write to the local authorities; that is given. The local authorities will have the 90 days' notice. Senator Craughwell tabled an amendment.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Amendment No. a1z seeks the insertion of: “(iii) and shall communicate such proposal in writing to each local authority within which such proposal relates,”. I am happy to accept that in principle but I need to consult the Attorney General on the wording to be used. I will introduce another amendment on Report Stage.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: As a matter of form, Waterways Ireland will write to the local authorities. I believe I have addressed most of the issues there. On the consultation with Waterways Ireland, it must be remembered that Waterways Ireland works very closely with local authorities. I have a number of examples where it has worked very well on a collaborative basis on projects. On the Shannon-Erne Blueway, from...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: On the review mechanism, by-laws are organic in themselves in that if an issue needs to be changed, it has to be changed. That must be done through consultation. We have the full consultation period if something needs to be changed. They are not left sitting for the next three years with nothing happening to them. If something arises that needs to be addressed, a consultation process will...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Requiring an authorised officer to walk around with a book of by-laws in his hand when dealing with an issue with somebody would be quite cumbersome. He will obviously tell the person the by-law under which the offence has occurred. However, having to bring a book of legislation around to show somebody the by-laws could be quite cumbersome and not something I would like to impose on them.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I have no problem with the authorised officers telling the person under what law they are being charged. This amendment states that they have to have "for reference purposes a hard copy of the bye-laws". That means they have to go around with a hard copy of the by-laws and show it to people. It appears to be a bit cumbersome for an officer out there enforcing the by-laws on the canal to...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The amendment does not state "phone"; it states "hard copy". It specifically states "hard copy".

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: It is the same as asking gardaí to carry the Statute Book around with them to tell people which law they are breaking. Do Senators know what I am trying to say? I am trying to be helpful. These people are trying to implement the by-laws so we can all enjoy the waterways and ensure that the people who break the law are prosecuted. That is what we are trying to do.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I do not think they will be huge but does the Senator understand the point I am making? It is not usual that officers would carry the by-laws with them.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The authorised officers of Waterways Ireland will implement the by-laws. There are already by-laws there.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The authorised officers of Waterways Ireland will implement them. They are appointed by Waterways Ireland. There will be no extra charges for users. The cost will be funded out of the Waterways Ireland budget and its own resources.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I have accepted the principle and I will bring an amendment on Report Stage.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: This is a standard provision that potentially addresses some of the issues addressed elsewhere in the proposed amendments. It allows the body to decide what provisions may be necessary and expedient to include in the by-laws for the management of the canal and the canal property. This basically gives flexibility to Waterways Ireland to change the by-laws, which is exactly what the Senator...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: On the fixed penalty notice, the Bill already provides for a fixed penalty notice in section 7A. Class D fines are only prosecuted if the fixed penalty notice of €150 is not paid. There is a fixed penalty notice in place there. That will cover the concerns the Senators have. It is when the fixed penalty notice is not paid that it moves into the more severe fines. I think that...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: On amendment No. a1ai, if lines 12 to 44 are deleted it means that everything about fixed penalty notices would be deleted. There would be no fixed penalty notices. The fixed penalty notice is €150, that is the first chance. If it is not paid, then we move on to the higher fine.