Results 3,961-3,980 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Museum (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: The National Museum of Ireland is a valuable part of the cultural heritage of the State. Under the new Board which I appointed last year, the Museum is now planning for the future in a strategic fashion and is in the process of finalising a master plan to provide for its future development. The plan has not yet issued but I do look forward to engaging with the Museum over the coming period...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Legislative Programme (20 Jun 2017)
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. Following a review of Section 40, which involved, inter alia, consideration of submissions from interested parties, I announced proposals in December 2015 to introduce legislation to allow for managed hedge cutting...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Recreation Promotion (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: The 2017 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme was launched on 28thApril 2017 as part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development. The scheme will provide funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure or the necessary maintenance, enhancement or promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in Ireland. Building on the 2016 Rural...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Action Plan for Rural Development (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: The Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development, which was launched on 23rdJanuary last, provides a policy framework for a coordinated approach to rural development across Government. The Plan contains a number of measures which have the objective of rejuvenating Ireland’s rural towns and villages to make them more attractive places in which to live and work, and to increase...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: The 2017 Town and Village Renewal Scheme was launched on 13 thApril last. The scheme will see €20 million being invested in rural towns and villages over the next 12 months as part of the Action Plan for Rural Development. Up to 300 towns and villages will benefit under the scheme, which is targeted at towns and villages with populations of less than 10,000. At least 60% of the funding...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Parks and Wildlife Service Prosecutios (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: Since 2007, the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department has taken some eleven prosecution cases for breaches of Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts relating to illegal burning of vegetation. Fines were imposed in most cases with, in some cases, the defendants being ordered by the Court to pay legal costs and expenses. My Department does not maintain records nor have information...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Action Plan for Rural Development (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: The Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development, which was launched on 23rdJanuary last, contains a number of measures which have the objective of rejuvenating Ireland’s rural towns and villages to make them more attractive places in which to live and work, and to increase their tourism potential. From my own Department’s perspective, I launched the 2017 Town and...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Action Plan for Rural Development (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: The Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development, which was launched on 23rdJanuary, contains a number of measures which have the objective of rejuvenating Ireland’s rural towns and villages to make them more attractive places in which to live and work, and to increase their tourism potential. I launched an enhanced Town and Village Renewal Scheme on 13th April last,...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Correspondence (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 62 of 2nd May 2017.
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: I am committed to re-establishing the Oireachtas All Party Consultation Committee on Commemorations. I intend to put in place the practical arrangements to re-constitute the group very shortly. In the period leading up to the 1916 centenary commemorations, the All Party Consultation Committee on commemorations was instrumental in promoting an open, consensus-based and honest approach, which...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Animal Welfare (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: Officials of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department monitored seventeen hare coursing meeting during the 2016/17 coursing season. It is intended that these reports along with the Irish Coursing Club reports which range over 70 coursing meetings will be published on the NPWS website over the coming weeks.
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Special Areas of Conservation (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: The National Raised Bog SAC Management Plan 2017-2022, due to be published in the coming period subject to Government approval, will set out how the raised bog special areas of conservation are to be managed, conserved and restored and how the needs of turf cutters are to be addressed. Within the framework of the Plan, my Department is considering the available options in terms of...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Creative Ireland Programme (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: The Taoiseach and I launched the Creative Ireland Programme 2017–2022 in December 2016 as the Government Legacy Programme for Ireland 2016 and as the main implementation vehicle for the priorities identified in Culture 2025/Éire Ildánach, the draft cultural policy which I published in July 2016. As noted in my response to the Deputy on the 7 March last, this is a...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Leader Programmes Administration (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: The LEADER programme is a key part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development and has the capacity to deliver significant outcomes for rural areas. I am committed to implementing the LEADER 2014-2020 programme as effectively and as efficiently as possible. However, I am also aware of concerns regarding some of the administrative procedures related to the programme, and I...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Action Plan for Rural Development (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: The Action Plan for Rural Development recognises the contribution that tourism makes to the rural economy and includes a series of actions to maximise Ireland’s rural tourism and recreation potential. Recreational tourism is a key growth sector worldwide and has been identified as a priority for Irish tourism in future years. The development and promotion of this sector provides...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Gorse Burning (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Significant environmental damage is caused by wildfires. This issue has become more acute in recent years, as evidenced by the spate of fires in various parts of the country, including a Coillte owned site of some 4,000 hectares Co. Galway in recent weeks. Wild fires are not a natural phenomenon in Ireland and...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Film Industry Development (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 114 together. The Government supports the Irish audiovisual industry through the Irish Film Board and through Section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 - the film tax relief scheme. This twin approach of direct funding and tax expenditure measures maximises the benefits of the Government’s support to the audiovisual industry. The...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Action Plan for Rural Development (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: Action 165 of the Action Plan for Rural Development commits to examining the potential to promote rural Ireland as the destination of choice for US colleges wishing to avail of a rural-based learning or study experience abroad. The company referred to by the Deputy has considerable experience in delivering rural-based learning in Connemara and is in the process of developing a residential...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Local Authority Staff (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: The report of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce, which was published last December, recommended the assignment by each Local Authority of an officer with responsibility for broadband and mobile phone services. The function of this officer is to act as a single point of contact for telecommunications operators on the rollout of telecommunications infrastructure,as well as to increase...
- Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Leader Programmes Administration (20 Jun 2017)
Heather Humphreys: In total, €250 million will be invested in LEADER over the period to 2020. The programme is co-financed by the European Union to the value of €157 million through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and is subject to the EU Regulatory provisions governing rural development funding. It is important, therefore, that appropriate checks and balances are in...