Results 921-940 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Appointments to State Boards (18 Dec 2014)

Heather Humphreys: The Government recently approved new guidelines covering the process to be used in making all appointments to State boards. The Public Appointments Service (PAS) will manage this new process and my Department has nominated a State Boards Liaison Officer, who will engage with PAS to ensure compliance with the guidelines. The information requested by the Deputy regarding appointments to State...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Freedom of Information Requests (18 Dec 2014)

Heather Humphreys: The information requested by the Deputy concerning the number of Freedom of Information requests processed by my Department is set out in the table below. As my Department was established on 2June 2011, the information sought by him is provided from that date. Year Total Number of FOI Requests Received Number withdrawn or dealt with outside FOI Number Refused Number Granted in full Number...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Reports (18 Dec 2014)

Heather Humphreys: As my Department was established on 2 June 2011, the requested information is being provided from that date. My Department commissioned six reports since its establishment and the details requested by the Deputy are set out in the table below. Contracts for the provision of services are not included. One of the reports, "Review of PSO Air Service for the Aran Islands" was published in May...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Staff Expenses (18 Dec 2014)

Heather Humphreys: The total amount spent per annum in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014 on staff subsistence payments and on taxi payments where staff are engaged in official business is laid out in the table below. 2011 € 2012 € 2013 € 2014 (to 16 December) € Staff Subsistence Payments 528,823.93 570,528.62 522,597.55 443,500.95 Taxi Payments 18,868.07...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Legal Costs (18 Dec 2014)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised that total cost of legal services paid from my Department's Administrative Budget since the Department was established on 2 June 2011 is €6,195. These costs were incurred in 2012. For completeness, I would bring to the Deputy's attention that my Department also makes payments from time to time to the Chief State Solicitor's Office in respect of legal services that it...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Council Funding (18 Dec 2014)

Heather Humphreys: Since its formation in 2011, my Department’s annual funding to the Heritage Council has been as set out in the table below. Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 Allocation €million 9.347 6.766 6.096 5.953 These amounts included allocations both from my Department’s Vote and from the Environment Fund, including a number of grants for specific purposes. My...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (18 Dec 2014)

Heather Humphreys: I have no statutory responsibility in relation to the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI), which is the national design and economic development organisation for the craft industry in Ireland. I am advised that its activities are funded by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland and that further details in this regard are available on the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Appointments to State Boards (18 Dec 2014)

Heather Humphreys: The Government recently approved new guidelines covering the process to be used in making all appointments to State boards. The Public Appointments Service (PAS) will manage this new process and my Department has nominated a State Boards Liaison Officer, who will engage with PAS to ensure compliance with the guidelines.The information sought by the Deputy regarding appointments to State...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Public Relations Contracts Expenditure (18 Dec 2014)

Heather Humphreys: My Department was established on 2 June 2011 and the information provided in the table below relates to costs incurred from that date. The costs in question were incurred by Culture Ireland in relation to press and media services to support the 2011 Imagine Irelandprogramme and the Venice Architecture Biennale 2012. Year Cost - € 2011 84,148 2012 6,983 2013 Nil 2014 Nil Total 91,131

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Schemes (14 Jan 2015)

Heather Humphreys: My Department approved 728 Plans under the scheme referred to by the Deputy. The total amount paid under the scheme between 2006 and the end of 2014 was €24,711,394. The Deputy will appreciate the constraints that apply in replying to a “details supplied” Question but I will be glad to forward directly to him any additional information he may require in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wildlife Conservation (14 Jan 2015)

Heather Humphreys: One of my Department's key priorities is the maintenance of natural habitats and species in special areas of conservation, special protection areas and natural heritage areas. In that context, my aim is to continue to encourage and support nature conservation to the greatest degree possible. In accordance with the relevant legislation, certain activities in sites designated for nature...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Hedge Cutting Season (14 Jan 2015)

Heather Humphreys: Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976 to 2012 prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August during the nesting and breeding season for birds and wildlife. Any change to that period would require amending legislation. Vegetation such as hedgerows and scrub is important as wildlife habitat and needs to be...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (14 Jan 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I secured an amount of €4 million in current funding in the Revised Estimates for 2015 to allow for the roll out of an integrated plan – Ireland 2016– with a special focus on commemorating the centenary of the 1916 Rising. This funding is in addition to the capital provision of €22 million to be allocated in 2015 to a number of flagship commemorations projects,...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Monuments (14 Jan 2015)

Heather Humphreys: Archaeological monuments that are newly discovered in the course of development related investigations are added to the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) by my Department’s National Monuments Service on an ongoing basis. The toghers - or bog trackways - discovered in this case on a privately-owned and operated peat extraction site have been included in the SMR as part of that process....

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Special Protection Areas Designation (14 Jan 2015)

Heather Humphreys: A habitat enhancement scheme (known as the National Parks and Wildlife Service Farm Plan Scheme) was available to farmers in Hen Harrier SPAs to undertake proactive measures for the species. These measures were not a condition of the designation, nor were they mandatory. For that reason, they are not considered to be compensation for the prevention of an activity or a development on the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Council Grants (14 Jan 2015)

Heather Humphreys: The Arts Council operates under the provisions of the Arts Act 2003, which provides, inter alia, that the Council is independent in the performance of its functions in funding the Arts. As Minister, I cannot, therefore, review decisions of the Council in relation to such matters. It may be noted that the Arts Council operates an appeals and complaints procedure, and, like other agencies...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Special Protection Areas Designation (14 Jan 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I understand that the Deputy's Question relates to the hen harrier in particular and will focus my reply on issues relating to that species. Ireland is obliged under the EU Birds Directive to designate Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for Annex I species such as the Hen Harrier. Annex I species are those that are deemed in greatest need of conservation due to population and range declines....

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Bodies Data (14 Jan 2015)

Heather Humphreys: 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, including measures related to bodies funded from my Department's Vote. In this regard, my Department conducted a critical examination of the structure and operation of the institutions included in the Public Service Reform...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Decentralisation Programme Data (14 Jan 2015)

Heather Humphreys: 78 staff of my Department are based in two locations - New Road, Killarney (44 staff) and Newtown Road, Wexford (34 staff) – that were established under the Decentralisation Programme announced in 2004. However, since my Department was only established in its present format in June 2011, I am advised it would not be possible, in the context of available staffing resources and the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Consultancy Contracts Data (14 Jan 2015)

Heather Humphreys: No external consultants, professional companies or advisors were engaged by my Department in relation to developing its contribution to the Action Plan for Jobs in 2012 or in any subsequent year. For completeness, I wish to advise the Deputy that a number of capital projects funded by my Department generate a significant number of jobs and are referenced in the Action Plan for Jobs for the...