Results 3,961-3,980 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: We have the Return to Work Safely Protocol, which is separate to public health. That clearly sets out measures that need to be taken into account. These are guidelines for working environments. At the end of the day, all of these national cultural institutions and spaces are working environments. We must ensure that the audiences are safe as well as the people working there. We are...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: As I outlined earlier, approximately 14,000 people within this sector are availing of the Covid-19 unemployment payment but it cannot continue indefinitely. That was never intended. Maintaining that payment would be divisive and create two different forms of unemployment payment. We do not think that is fair or sustainable in the long term. Ultimately, it will have to be reformed by the...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Project 2040 deals with infrastructure. Grants and schemes are available in the Department anyway. I hope they will be continued but we must remember that we are living in an environment where there is projected to be a deficit of €30 billion this year and €14 billion next year. We must have a bit of realism about what we are going to be able to achieve. I never make a...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I will start with Deputy Paul Murphy's questions. If I leave any answers out, he can remind me. The Deputy talked about income supports in general. From a reality check perspective, I mentioned earlier that 1.1 million people in the country are in receipt of social welfare benefits and 212,000 people are receiving €203 a week. At the end of April, there were 213,000 people on...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Deputy Shanahan for his contribution. In case I did not mention it earlier in the Dáil, as the Deputy mentioned social welfare supports, there is a dedicated help desk in my Department for anybody to call. If anybody is listening in, I ask him or her to avail of it if there are concerns. On the stabilisation fund, the Deputy sort of alluded to the fact that he wants to...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputies. In response to Deputy Mattie McGrath, my Department provides significant support to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and will continue to do so. We support the sector but we also have to maintain our focus on protecting public health. Deputy Nolan mentioned the Birr theatre. There are already schemes within the Department and one would hope that they will...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: The festivals are encouraged to do that. We have no difficulty with that at all. The Deputy mentioned a few festivals in Clare, such as Consairtín. That has been cancelled. Funding of €4,000 was provided to it. The Killaloe Chamber Music festival was granted funding of €16,000. The Ennis Book Club festival commenced. It received a grant of €27,000. Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (20 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1399 and 1404 together. As I have previously informed the House in May 2018 and in my reply to  Parliamentary Question No 3025  of 23 July 2019 and Parliamentary Question No 2584 of 24 July 2018, the Government, on 1st May 2018 approved the designation of the third Sunday of May each year as the National Famine Commemoration Day, with the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Contracts (20 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I am advised that no external consultants have been engaged by my Department for the period under review. My Department commissions engineering, environmental and other experts from time to time to provide technical reports or advice on specific issues. While the providers of these services are consultant engineers, environmental consultants etc., or may describe themselves in other such...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme (20 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: An application under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme had been received from the individual referred to in the Deputy’s Question. Annual payments for 2020 (€1,554 to each qualifying applicant) under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme to qualifying applicants are being made. My Department expects this process to be completed by the end...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wildlife Protection (20 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Under the Wildlife Acts and under the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 all bird species are protected and animals such as badgers, deer, otters, bats and hares are also protected.  Officials of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department monitor compliance with the Wildlife Acts and the European Community (Birds and Natural Habitats)...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: On the 1st of May, this Government published its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business to ease the COVID-19 restrictions and reopen Ireland’s economy and society in a phased manner. The roadmap started from 18 May and the plan sets out five phases for unlocking restrictions, at three week intervals. At all times we will be guided by the advice of the National Public Health...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: The COVID-19 crisis gives rise to many challenges for the nation as a whole and is having an unprecedented impact on the arts, culture, heritage and Gaeltacht sectors.  While the full financial and economic implications of the crisis are not yet known,  the impact on the sectors supported by the Department may extend well past the lifting of any COVID-19 restrictions. Since the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Expenditure (20 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Details of capital expenditure by my Department and all Government departments are published by the Department of Finance on a monthly basis: Total capital expenditure for my Department to 30 April 2020 amounts to €20.98m as detailed in the following table. Total expenditure from capital carryover to 30 April 2020 amounts to €525,000. These figures are provisional as...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wildlife Protection (20 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1412, 1415, 1418 and 1427 together. The Wildlife Acts 1976 to 2018 are the primary statutes designed to afford protection to the various species in the State and which set out the framework for dealing with wildlife crime.  In addition, the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 include provisions affording strict...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wildlife Protection (20 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1413, 1414, 1416, 1420, 1424 and 1428 together. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department is aware of this incident of poisoning.  As the matter is presently under ongoing and active investigation by the NPWS, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on this case beyond the following facts: Following a report from a...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wildlife Protection (20 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Local field staff of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department are aware of this incident to which the Deputy refers and the matter is currently under active investigation.Accordingly, I am not in a position to comment on the issue any further at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Library (20 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: The €14.7 million National Library of Ireland building redevelopment project “Re-imagining the National Library” is part of Project Ireland 2040.  The first Phase 1 was to provide a modern, secure, state-of-the art book repository in which a substantial part of the Library's priceless book collection is now housed.  I had the honour of unveiling the new...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Council (20 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I have met with the new Director of the Arts Council remotely on a number of occasions including 15 April, 21 April and again on 1 May.  In addition, officials from my Department are in ongoing contact with the Arts Council and as well as with a broad range of sectorial stakeholders including resource organisations, advocacy groups as well as individual artists and arts...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Waterways Ireland (20 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Capital expenditure for my Department in 2019 amounted to €70.108 million. In addition, the sum of €0.7m was expended in respect of capital carried over into 2019 from 2018.  All figures are provisional as they are subject to audit by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General and adjustments  may fall to be made.  Details of the final outturn for the...