Results 1,421-1,440 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Freedom of Information Data (16 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: The information requested by the Deputy concerning the number of Freedom of Information requests processed by my Department since its establishment in June 2011 is set out in the following table. Year Total Number of FOI Requests Received Number withdrawn or dealt with outside FOI Number Refused Number Granted in full Number Part Granted Number of Requests for Internal Review (Appeals)...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Animal Disease Controls (16 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: Having become extinct in the area during the mid-eighteenth century, native Red Deer were reintroduced into Connemara National Park in 1982. I understand that Lyme disease is carried by ticks and a study produced in 1999 detected Lyme disease in ticks found in Connemara. These ticks are not restricted to red deer and can be found on a variety of other animals, including mice, voles,...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Legislative Process (16 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 930 and 932 together. While no Bills for which I have Ministerial responsibility have been formally initiated in the Oireachtas since September 2013, one Bill - the National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill - was published on 9 June 2015. That Bill was subject to pre-legislative scrutiny by the Oireachtas, as was the Official Languages...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (16 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: The conditions attaching to this funding are similar to the conditions my Department applies to all large capital grants. These include a legal charge on the property for the amount of the grant, documentary proof that all matching funding is in place, the capping of the Department's contribution at the amount of the grant, full observance of public procurement rules, etc. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Staff Allowances (16 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: The total amount spent per annum in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015 on staff subsistence payments and on taxi payments where staff are engaged in official business is laid out in the following table. - 2011 € 2012 € 2013 € 2014 € 2015 € (to 12 June 2015) Staff Subsistence Payments 528,823.93 570,528.62 522,597.55 474,142.36 199,038.87 Taxi...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Reports (16 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: As my Department was established on 2 June 2011, the requested information is being provided from that date. My Department commissioned nine reports since its establishment and the details requested by the Deputy are set out in the table. 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 2014....

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Payments (16 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: An application for compensation under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme has been received by my Department from the individual referred to in the Deputy's Question. I am advised that a payment of €1,500 in respect of year 1 of 15 (2011) and a payment of €1,500 in respect of year 2 of 15 (2012) have been made to this applicant. The qualifying criteria for the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Beit Collection (17 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 278 and 280 together. The issue in relation to the sale of artworks referred to in the Questions are matters for the committee of management of the Alfred Beit Foundation which owns and operates Russborough House. My Department has no function in relation to the administration or sale of these artworks. However, I did meet last night with the Chair...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has not received any proposals relating to the project referred to by the Deputy and it is not possible, therefore, to assess precisely what is involved. Whilst it is recommended good practice to conduct studies of the type referred to before contemplating works to a site of this nature, I regret that all funding available to my Department for these purposes in 2015 is, in any...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I am considering a small capital grant scheme for 2015 along the lines of those which operated in previous years. I hope to announce details shortly.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Alfred Beit Foundation (18 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: The sale of these paintings is a matter for the committee of management of the Alfred Beit Foundation which owns and operates Russborough House. My Department has no function in the administration or sale of these art works. However, I did meet on Tuesday night with the chairperson of the Alfred Beit Foundation and two other trustees. I asked the chairperson if it would be possible to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Alfred Beit Foundation (18 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: The Alfred Beit Foundation met the former Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht a number of years ago. I am not aware that the specifics of the sale were discussed in 2013, but I want to be very clear that I was only informed of the decision last month. That was the first time I met the chairperson of the foundation, several months after it had entered into an agreement with...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Alfred Beit Foundation (18 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: As I have to be clear, I will repeat the point: the Alfred Beit Foundation is the owner of the relevant paintings at the centre of the current sales. I had a meeting with it and asked if it could approach Christie's to delay or postpone the sale. It was clearly said to me that it could not do so because if it did, it would incur a penalty of £1.4 million sterling for not proceeding...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Alfred Beit Foundation (18 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: They are safe. They are in the National Gallery.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Alfred Beit Foundation (18 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: They are safe. He donated those to the State. That is what we must be clear about. We own those. The Alfred Beit Foundation itself is responsible. Its memorandum and articles of association, which I have gone through in great detail and which Sir Alfred Beit himself, and his good wife, Lady Beit, signed, clearly states that it may "sell, lease or otherwise deal with or dispose of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Monuments (18 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: My primary function in this case arises from the preservation order that was placed on Nos. 14-17 Moore Street under the National Monuments Acts in 2007 in order to protect No. 16 as the site of the final council of war and final headquarters of the leaders of the 1916 Rising. After extensive deliberations, ministerial consent was given to the owners of the national monument in April 2014...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Monuments (18 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: First, my priority is to acquire the monument, secure the buildings, restore them and develop the monument as a public commemorative facility in time for the centenary celebrations in 2016. I understand that there have been meetings with Dublin City Council and that it has plans to look at the wider issues around that area. That is a matter for Dublin City Council because under the Planning...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Monuments (18 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is engaged with the monument owners and other relevant parties with the aim of transferring the property into State ownership as quickly as possible. The Department is also examining options for how best the restoration of the buildings for use as a commemorative centre can be effected with a view to having it open to the public at the earliest possible date. In that context,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Cultural Institutions (18 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: Both the National Library and the National Museum are statutory independent bodies. While my Department provides funding to these national cultural institutions, the management and board of each institution are responsible for all operational matters, including storage, security and conservation. Accordingly, I do not have a statutory function in respect of such day-to-day matters. It is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Cultural Institutions (18 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I appreciate the Deputy’s concerns about the fire hazards in the National Library. An audit of safety and security of the library's collections was carried out sometime ago and outside personnel were brought in to examine it. I accept there is a need for further investment in this regard. As the economy continues to improve, I hope we will be able to increase investment in our...