Results 1,741-1,760 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Architectural Heritage (20 Oct 2015)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is fully aware of the cultural and economic importance of the institution in County Mayo referred to by the Deputy and of the threat to its future. In the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage for the county, the related building was rated of ‘National’ significance. In recognition of that significance, conservation works have been undertaken in recent...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Data (20 Oct 2015)

Heather Humphreys: Expenditure under my Department’s cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme in 2015 to date is in the region of €3.5 million. This amount, which includes VAT charged in relation to turf deliveries, is comprised of: Annual Compensation Payments - €3.230 million; Legal Agreement Once-off (€500) Incentive Payments - €0.065 million; and Turf Deliveries -...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme (20 Oct 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 719 and 720 together. In April 2011, the Government agreed to the setting up of an independently chaired Peatlands Council to assist the Government and stakeholders regarding certain issues related to the management of Ireland’s peatlands. Applicants to the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme administered by my Department may, further to the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Waterways Ireland Funding (21 Oct 2015)

Heather Humphreys: Waterways Ireland is co-funded by my Department and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) in Northern Ireland. The current expenditure of the body is funded 85% by my Department and 15% by DCAL, which reflects the distribution of the navigable waterways in each jurisdiction. Capital expenditure is funded 100% in the jurisdiction in which the capital works are carried out. The...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Freedom of Information Requests (21 Oct 2015)

Heather Humphreys: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. FOI Requests received to date in 2015:139 Requests currently under consideration: 21 Requests completed: 118 Requests completed within 4 weeks from date of receipt:97(82%) Requests completed between 4 and 8 weeks from date of receipt: 21(18%) For the sake of completeness, I would advise the Deputy that 7 of the 21...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (3 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1192 and 1193 together. The 2015 Famine Commemoration was held in Newry in September. This was the first time the event had been held in Northern Ireland and has been recognised as having been a great success with significant cross-community representation. While neither the date nor the venue for the 2016 National Famine Commemoration have yet been decided,...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Projects (3 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: My role, as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, with regard to the protection and management of our built and natural heritage, is set out in the provisions of relevant legislation. Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides for the protection of the architectural heritage. The Act gives primary responsibility to planning authorities to identify and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Census of Population Data (3 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: Current legislative provisions, as contained in the Statistics Act 1993, require that census data must be withheld for 100 years. Accordingly, it is not possible at this time to release 1926 Census returns before the statutory period has elapsed in 2026. If the records were to be released before the expiry of 100 years, a major change in legislation and policy would be required to allow for...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wildlife Regulations (3 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976, as amended, prohibites 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. Vegetation such as hedgerows and scrub is important as wildlife habitat and needs to be managed in the interests of both farming and biodiversity. In...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wildlife Regulations (3 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1197 and 1209 together. I refer the Deputy to my replies on this matter, in this House on the 24 September last. My Department is responsible for the Wildlife Acts and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 477/2011), both of which prohibit the spreading of invasive species. In general, control of invasive species is a...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Budgets (3 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: Details of the annual funding allocation to my Department for 2015 are published in the annual Revised Estimates Volume which is available on the website of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform at . Progress on spending across the Vote is monitored on a continuing basis through the year in order to ensure the optimal use of the available financial resources. While the potential...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Lansdowne Road Agreement (3 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: The allocation to my Department in 2016 in respect of pay costs is €29.865m. This amount includes costs arising from the Lansdowne Road Agreement. There are no specific demographic or other inflationary pressures particularly associated with the responsibilities that fall within my Department's remit.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Appointments to State Boards (3 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: In 2014, the Government approved new guidelines regarding the process to be used in making all appointments to State boards. The Public Appointments Service (PAS) has assumed responsibility for managing this process and my Department has nominated a State Boards Liaison Officer to engage with PAS to ensure compliance with the guidelines. Details regarding appointments to State boards in the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Fund (3 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy can appreciate, the scope for funding for the conservation of the built heritage is currently constrained by the significant reduction in the public finances. Funding for the protection of built heritage is being provided by my Department in 2015 via a number of schemes, which are either directly administered or delivered through local authorities or through the Heritage...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Payments (3 Nov 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 2 of 15 (2012) and a payment of €1,518 in respect of Year 3 of 15 (2013) have been made to this applicant. The qualifying criteria for...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Burial Grounds (3 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: My Department’s officials met with representatives of the cemetery committee during the summer to discuss the investigations required to verify whether the site proposed by the committee for an extension of the existing graveyard was suitable from an archaeological perspective. My Department subsequently wrote to the committee on 12 August 2015 setting out revised recommendations for...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Staff Career Breaks (3 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: Arrangements applying to the Career Break Scheme are made under the authority provided by Civil Service Regulation Acts 1956 – 2006. These arrangements are outlined in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 4/2013. My Department was established on the 2nd June 2011. Since that date 23 civil servants have been reinstated following career break.

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015: Second Stage (3 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I am pleased to introduce the National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill to the Seanad. The National Concert Hall has a special place in the cultural life of this country. The range of musical experiences it offers has attracted many thousands of visitors since its establishment in 1981. In 2014 alone it presented almost 900 events to almost 330,000 people. This was the...

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015: Second Stage (3 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Senators for their contributions, which I listened to with great interest. Some interesting issues were raised. Regarding Senator O'Donnell's comments, this is a question of putting a proper governance structure in place. That is important, as taxpayers' money is being invested in the National Concert Hall and it must be accountable to the taxpayer through the Minister and the...

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015: Second Stage (3 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: As I indicated in the Dáil, I consider this Bill the most effective way of changing the board's name. It was the express wish of the board's former chair, the late Bill O'Herlihy, that its name should be changed. I promised Bill two weeks before his untimely death that I would do this because it was the right thing to do. I was pleased to have the opportunity to do so as part of this...