Results 6,321-6,340 of 6,645 for speaker:Jimmy Deenihan

Topical Issue Debate: National Concert Hall (7 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: I am happy to avail of this opportunity to address the House on the governance and future of the National Concert Hall. The National Concert Hall is one of our most important cultural institutions and one dearly beloved by both the Irish public and international visitors to Ireland. Over the course of 2013, more than 300,000 people attended almost 950 events at the National Concert Hall....

Topical Issue Debate: National Concert Hall (7 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: At this moment in time, there is certainly no disarray among the board members. I have full confidence that they will fulfil their duties. These people are doing the work pro bono, as did the previous directors, so there is no cost to the taxpayer. The new chairman is also doing the job pro bono. The National Concert Hall is operating very successfully. At this stage, the reason for the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Monuments (7 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: While Dunsany Cross is protected under the National Monuments Acts 1930-2004, it is not in my ownership or guardianship as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Therefore, neither my Department nor the Office of Public Works is responsible for its conservation, repair or maintenance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, my Department has undertaken an inspection of the Cross and its...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (8 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: The Oireachtas Working Group on Commemorations, which I chair, meets on a regular basis to discuss issues relating to the decade of centenaries, and the 1916 commemorations in particular. The most recent meeting of the Working Group took place on 29 April last. As has been previously outlined to the House, the commemorative programme is a comprehensive exploration of our history that keeps...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Animal Welfare (8 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 23 of 17 April 2014 which sets out the reasoning for my Department’s decision to licence the killing of a single pine marten in this particular instance. The trapping and/or killing of pine martens is carefully licensed by my Department. A decision to grant permission to kill a pine marten would only be taken after a...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Inland Waterways Maintenance (13 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: I am advised by Waterways Ireland that Meelick Weir at Eyrecourt, near Ballinasloe in Co. Galway is not closed. It is functioning normally and is currently retaining upstream water levels, as required. However, a walkway superstructure on the weir requires to be replaced, as a result of damage caused by flooding. I am informed by Waterways Ireland that full planning permission will be...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Parks Projects (13 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: My Department carries out an annual targeted programme in Ireland’s National Parks to manage the invasive species referred to, which, in some areas, has replaced native shrub and grows in dense thickets, thereby excluding native vegetation and limiting natural tree regeneration. The extent of the problem varies from property to property and, having regard to the very dynamic nature...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Monuments (13 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: My function, under the National Monuments Acts, relates to the national monument at Nos. 14 – 17 Moore Street, by virtue of the Preservation Order placed on that site in 2007. In that context, I have recently given approval to revised designs, submitted by the owners, for the restoration of the monument buildings and the creation of a commemorative centre to the Leaders of the 1916...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Bodies Data (13 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: I can advise the Deputy that no commercial semi-State companies are funded from my Department's Vote group and, consequently, no pension fund assets are held in relation to such companies.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Concert Hall (13 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: As the Deputy will be aware, Government recently approved my proposal to convert the National Concert Hall from a company limited by guarantee to a statutory body similar to other national cultural institutions. This legislation will mean that the board of the National Concert Hall will have absolute clarity in respect of the position on all governance and operational issues at the Concert...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (13 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: The outbreak and escalation of World War I will be remembered with activities envisaged nationally and in Great Britain and further afield. In recent years, the Government has been represented at war memorial ceremonies in Dublin, Belfast and other centres marking the Battle of the Somme in July and the Armistice in November.The government has also been represented at the annual...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Communications (13 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: My Department does not record any telephone calls made to or from any of its offices or staff. In the interests of completeness, my Department's telephone systems include voicemail facilities whereby, in the interests of good customer service, callers to the Department may leave a message if they wish to do so.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Parks Projects (13 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: My Department, through its National Parks and Wildlife Service, has been working with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to fund and manage the Invasive Species Ireland Project since 2006. This initiative provides advice and guidance on the management of a range of invasive species, which can negatively impact on the environment and on property on the island of Ireland....

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Centres Funding (13 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: Grant funding for the protection of the built and natural heritage is provided by my Department via a number of schemes which are either directly administered or delivered through local authorities and agencies. In 2014 the Heritage Council, which my Department funds, re-instated its community grants scheme. It is primarily a matter for the Heritage Council to allocate its funding...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Bodies Data (13 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Public Service Reform Plan published by the Government on 17 November 2011 outlined a series of rationalisation measures relating to agencies and other public bodies. Some of those measures related to a certain number of the bodies funded from my Department's Vote Group. In this regard, my Department conducted a critical examination of the structure and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Staff Remuneration (13 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: As the Deputy will be aware, the reduced scales for persons recruited to certain direct entry grades in the public service, as implemented in Department of Finance Circular 18/2010, were withdrawn with effect from 1 November 2013, following the issue of Department of Public Expenditure Circular 2/2014 on 30 January 2014. There are currently five full-time staff in my Department and 18...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Legal Cases Data (13 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: I assume that the Deputy is referring to matters before the court. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department was established on 2 June 2011. It has not been served with any legal proceedings arising from disputes regarding pay and conditions of public servants since that date.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Staff Data (13 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: I understand that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform will provide the information requested by the Deputy in respect of the staff of my Department. With regard to bodies under the aegis of my Department, I am advised the average age of full-time staff in such bodies is currently 46.73 but that records are not maintained of the average age of staff for previous years.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Ministerial Travel (13 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: I would like to advise the Deputy, that both I, as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and my colleague, Deputy Dinny McGinley, Minister of State, undertake foreign trips from time to time in order to fulfil our official duties. Every effort is made to maximise the opportunities that such trips present to promote Ireland and full itineraries are planned in conjunction with the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Film Industry Development (14 May 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Questions Nos 100 – 105 of 1 May 2014 in relation to this matter. My Department is following up on the matter of the response referred to.