Results 4,581-4,600 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Invasive Mollusc Species (13 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 447 and 448 together. Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has no statutory remit in the area of invasive species. Some very good preparatory work has, however, been done, thus far, by IFI and Waterways Ireland. However, it is clear that a multi-agency response to the substantive issue is required with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), as the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Offshore Islands (14 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: As indicated in Budget 2016, the current funding allocation available to my Department for the offshore islands has been increased from €5.9m in 2015 to €6.631m in 2016. This is an indicative figure which is subject to the Estimates being approved in due course. This additional allocation will be available for various support measures to all the offshore islands, including...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Calafoirt agus Céanna (14 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: Mar is eol don Teachta, is cúram do Chomhairle Contae na Gaillimhe Cé an Chalaidh Mhóir ar Inis Meáin agus tá an Chomhairle freagrach as forbairt agus cothabháil na cé sin. Cé nach bhfuil aon airgead ar fáil domsa don fhorbairt faoi láthair, tá mé sásta, ar ndóigh, bualadh le toscaireacht ón oileán chun an cheist...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Air Services Provision (14 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: Gabhaim mo bhuíochas leis an Seanadóir as ucht an ábhair fíor-thábhachtach seo a ardú inniu. As the Senator may be aware, the report of an interdepartmental co-ordinating committee on island development chaired by the then Minister of State, Donal Carey, in 1996 presented a strategic framework for developing the offshore islands of Ireland. This report made a...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Air Services Provision (14 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Senator again for her observations and suggestions. She is correct in saying that there are always ways in which we can be creative in terms of accessing necessary funding that could have a direct impact on the lives of those living on our islands. I visited Árain Mhór in the last ten days, along with the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar. We got a great insight...

Seanad: Minerals Development Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (14 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: The proposed amendment clearly refers to prospecting and retention licences. As I said during the previous discussion, prospecting licences are already subject to a two-year review process. It is intended that retention licences will be treated the same. These reviews are not a box-ticking exercise. Work carried out in the period under review is scrutinised by professional experts on the...

Seanad: Minerals Development Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (14 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: The amendment relates to section 82 of the Bill. We had a conversation on this on the last occasion. I shared the concerns raised on the sale of State assets. As discussed with Senator Ó Clochartaigh, it was never my intention to sell off any major deposits. We had a conversation on the definition on what is small and what is not small. We had a conversation following the Senator's...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries Stocks (20 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: I am advised that Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has recently concluded a public consultation process on Ireland's Eel Management Plan as part of the 2015 review, under EU Council Regulation 1100/2007. This consultation process afforded all stakeholders the opportunity to make written submissions on all aspects of eel fishing in Ireland. This process includes a review of the status of the eel...

Leaders' Questions (21 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: Hear, hear.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: What about a text?

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: Go raibh maith agat.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Heritage Sites (21 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: Tá mé ag glacadh na ceiste seo ar son an Aire sinsearach, an Teachta Heather Humphreys. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir Byrne as ucht na ceiste seo a ardú. Tá suim mhór agam san ábhar seo ós rud é go bhfuil ceangal dearfach idir mo chontae féin agus Contae na Mí, mar shampla i gcomhthéacs Naomh Colm Cille. Dá...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Heritage Sites (21 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: I heard the Senator say that before.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fishing Industry Development (22 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: I am advised that the fishery referred to by the Deputy is in private ownership and development proposals are primarily a matter for the fishery owner. The owner had contacted Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) for advice as regards proposed works and IFI is prepared to assist, from a fishery perspective, in advising the owner of particular non in-stream works that will enhance the rivers...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Údarás na Gaeltachta Funding (22 Oct 2015)

Joe McHugh: I have been informed by Údarás na Gaeltachta that they have assisted with the preparation of development plans and the securing of planning permission for the project referred to by the Deputy. While Údarás na Gaeltachta fully recognise the importance of the project in support of its overall development plan for the area, I understand that Údarás are not in a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (3 Nov 2015)

Joe McHugh: Since first reports of Asian Clam, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has acted proactively erecting public warning signs and installing essential bio-security stations, notwithstanding the fact that neither my Department nor IFI have a statutory remit in the area of invasive species. I am advised by IFI that its early intervention in this issue has primarily concentrated on its core statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries Ireland Funding (3 Nov 2015)

Joe McHugh: The 2016 Estimates provision for inland fisheries, which encompasses Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Loughs Agency, is €27.021 million, an increase of almost €700,000 on the 2015 provision. The establishment of IFI in 2010 has facilitated an improved national perspective in the formulation of inland fisheries policy which is more streamlined, coherent and integrated. It...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Prospecting Licences (3 Nov 2015)

Joe McHugh: I assume that the Deputy’s reference to compliance with the Aarhus Convention is made in the context of the public’s right to participate in decision-making in environmental matters, for example projects affecting the environment, or plans and programmes relating to the environment. Granting of a Licensing Option of itself is not a permission to carry out a project that would...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Appointments to State Boards (3 Nov 2015)

Joe McHugh: All vacancies on state boards, including the board of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) are filled by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) in line with the 2014 Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards. Thewebsite is the primary portal through which vacancies on State Boards are publicised. Any person interested in serving on a state board should register their interest on the website in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection Agency Investigations (3 Nov 2015)

Joe McHugh: This research programme is a multi-agency transboundary programme of research on the potential impacts on the environment and human health from Unconventional Gas Exploration & Extraction projects/operations. It is co-funded by the EPA, my Department and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. My Department is represented on the Steering Committee which was responsible for the award...