Results 10,101-10,120 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: 195. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date on which a school (details supplied) was removed from the major school building projects list to proceed to construction in 2016; the other schools that were removed from this list to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19425/16]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: 216. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if will relinquish a long-term lease held on a property (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19632/16]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: 236. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the status of social housing, given the funding his Department allocated for housing units (details supplied); the stage this project is at and if it has gone to tender; if not, when it will go to tender and when works will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19128/16]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: An Bord Pleanála Appointments (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: 237. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to detail the current members of An Bord Pleanála; when these members were appointed to the board; when new members will be appointed to the board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19170/16]

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: I congratulate the Chairman. I wish the members well. I am looking forward to working with them over what I hope will be the next five years. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss with the select committee the 2016 Estimates and to outline this year’s priorities for a number of areas under my Department’s Vote. For the benefit of the committee members, I would like to...

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: On the first question relating to the trust between farmers, Departments and Government, that dates back a long way. It is very simple. The Deputy is a rural man, like me. Sometimes the State thinks it can just walk into people's land and property. Sometimes it just does not talk to farmers. I will give the committee a very simple explanation of where it works and where it does not. In...

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: On the staffing composition, the Deputy is aware that this is a completely new Department. We are recruiting staff, including from different Departments. We certainly need more staff. Like every other Department, this Department has been badly affected by the embargo over the past number of years. On environmentally friendly farming relating to the Exchequer schemes, we are at a time of...

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: No, we cannot.

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: The Deputy and I know that we work with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. There is support and funding there.

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: It is a matter for the Department to be able to draw up a scheme. If farmers are losing and they need to be compensated, that is a matter between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the farmers. The money is in place in the scheme that is there. The GLAS scheme is there for them and I hope to see it used for the next couple of years.

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: To be helpful, the Department has not introduced any specific restrictions outside the NPWS scheme or the GLAS scheme.

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: The compensation scheme went back to previous Governments when the Deputy was a Minister. He was also in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine himself in relation to the GLAS scheme and the other schemes that were in place. If any restrictions were brought in, I am sure the Deputy was there himself at the time.

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: It is in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: We do not have a role. It is a matter for the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, but I have asked the Government to transfer responsibility for greenways to my Department. A Cabinet sub-committee is investigating that.

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: There is some funding for this year. There will be an allocation of €25,000 for the Ballycroy National Park. Srahduggan is an area where we get access into the national park and major funding has been put in place to buy that this year. Ballycroy National Park recently won a major international dark sky park classification and €28,000 is being invested to have it ready for an...

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: That is the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: I will address the question on the greenways. The Deputy is correct. If we do not have buy-in from landowners, then we have a problem. Previously, I was in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and we ran into difficulty in Galway. The project had to be suspended. I am not a believer in the CPO process if an alternative is possible. If we cannot get negotiation, we have a...

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: Building on the remarks of the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, I would like to outline for the committee my role in this area. In so far as the 2016 Estimates are concerned, €2.7 million will be spent under subhead E.8 to discharge existing commitments on the walks scheme. There was a commitment to expand the walks scheme in A Programme for a Partnership Government and plans in...

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: The Deputy is correct on the greenways, farm assist scheme and the rural transport scheme. When I attended the first meeting with the Taoiseach and the Cabinet subcommittee, I made the point. When the Deputy was a Minister in the past, he had the same problem. I have made a strong case on the greenways. That is not decided yet and I hope I will have responsibility. If we have...

Select Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (5 Jul 2016)

Michael Ring: The Minister will take the question about Leader. The €1 million allocated to the WDC is for this year and €1 million will also be allocated next year. The commission has serious proposals and I will meet its representatives next week to discuss them.