Results 14,441-14,460 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My officials are engaging with the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government on the town centre first initiative. That will be a good policy. My Department will provide funding for local authorities to appoint town centre first officers. That is important, because we need to get this joined-up thinking in the towns and we want them to be able to work with the businesses, local...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Like the Deputy, I believe we can respect the architectural heritage and importance of the building, while converting it for modern-day use. It is much better to have people in a town centre, living and breathing new life into it, than having derelict buildings. Sometimes it is about finding that balance, but there is no reason we cannot find it. It has been done in many towns and cities...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme, ORIS, provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as trails, cycleways and blueways in rural areas. Since 2016, ORIS funding has been awarded for 17 projects in County Louth to the value of almost €900,000 and 30 projects in County Meath to the value of more than €2.6 million. To...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I will give the Deputy a short brief on the Mell Greenway. Louth County Council was approved for funding of €200,000 under the 2019 outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme for the development and the enhancement of the Boyne Greenway. This year, it requested permission to revise the scope of the reproved works. This amendment has been approved by my Department, subject to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Maybe I am biased because I am from Monaghan, but there is nothing more beautiful than the Cooley Peninsula. Carlingford is an amazing part of the country. You can go on then through south Armagh and back, of course, to beautiful Monaghan. We want to use those wonderful natural facilities we have and I want to see us investing in them. That is why it will be particularly important to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for the question. The LEADER programme, as the Deputy knows, will continue to be a key component of the new Common Agricultural Policy from 2023. I am committed to ensuring the programme continues to play a central role in delivering on the Government's vision for rural Ireland, as set out in Our Rural Future. Indeed, the extensive public consultation undertaken by my...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I will continue to engage with the ILDN. It is always important that agencies that are delivering taxpayers’ money get an opportunity to raise their issues of concern with me directly. I do that, but my officials work with them closely. More than 4,700 projects to the total value of €198 million have been approved nationally by the local action groups since LEADER operations...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Budgets (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The revised estimate for my Department for 2021 provides for a gross allocation of €351 million, with a gross capital allocation of €168.6 million. In addition, €13.18 million of unspent capital funding has been carried forward from 2020 giving a total capital allocation of €181.8 million for 2021. As of 11thOctober 2021 the total capital spend amounted to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Road Projects (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (or LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. It makes an important contribution to connectivity in rural Ireland.  Cork County Council has secured over €6 million in funding since the Scheme was re-established in 2017.  I launched the 2021 Scheme in May with...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER programme is one of the key interventions implemented by my Department in delivering on the Government's vision for rural Ireland as set out in Our Rural Future.   In December 2020, I allocated an initial €20 million to the Transitional LEADER Programme to support locally-led rural development in  2021. In addition, in April 2021 I announced details...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Flexible Work Practices (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The recent shift to remote working provides a unique opportunity for the revitalisation of our rural towns and villages through remote working. My Department operates a number of funding schemes that focus on supporting remote working  as outlined in Our Rural Future, the Government's Rural Development Policy for the period from 2021 to 2025. The Rural Regeneration and Development...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Harbours and Piers (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, Galway County Council are the body responsible for development of stage three of the Caladh Mór pier development on Inis Meáin.  Officials from my Department have been in ongoing contact with the relevant officials in the  County Council to progress this development.   As part of the preparatory works, the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 21 together. The €7 million Streetscape Enhancement Initiative, which is a commitment in Our Rural Future, is designed to make around 120 of our rural towns and villages more attractive and welcoming places for locals and visitors alike. Property owners are being part funded to improve the facades of buildings, carry out artwork, and install...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Flexible Work Practices (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 49, 57, 58 and 70 together. Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, recognises the opportunity which remote working presents and also the potential of remote working hubs as key economic assets for our rural towns and villages. My Department operates a number of funding schemes that focus on projects supporting remote...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department operates a number of schemes providing small-scale financial supports and grants to community groups and organisations, including the Community Enhancement Programme and CLÁR Programme. The application processes are reviewed before each call for applications to ensure they are user friendly and fit for purpose. Following a review of the criteria for the CLÁR...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is one of a number of measures that supports the revitalisation of Ireland's rural towns and villages. The scheme is administered through the Local Authorities. This year, in line with Our Rural Future, a key focus of the scheme is to renovate derelict and vacant buildings in our town centres to bring them back into use as multipurpose spaces, remote...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: National Broadband Plan (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 34 and 76 together. Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are among the first premises for delivery under the National Broadband Plan. They are publicly accessible sites that serve areas without reliable high-speed broadband, including isolated communities in rural areas and on many of our offshore islands. Sites are provided with a high-speed broadband...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Policy (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Walks Scheme, which is funded by my Department, contracts landholders to undertake maintenance work on National Waymarked Ways and other priority trails that traverse their lands. The landholders receive modest payments for maintenance work undertaken in line with agreed work plans. In March 2019, my Department invited Expression of Interests (EOIs) for qualifying trails to be added to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Services (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department funds a Libraries Capital Programme that is investing a total of €29m in 17 projects, as well as the My Open Library service and a Small Scale Capital Works programme, over the period between 2016 and 2022. This programme was developed on the basis of priority proposals submitted by local authorities. Limerick City Library was submitted as a priority by Limerick City and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Policy (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 80 together. My Department's Mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant , inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. In delivering on that Mission my Department has a range of policies and programme interventions delivered throughout the country. In relation specifically to public greenspace, public...