Results 18,881-18,900 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: There has been €100 million in investment-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy's choice of language is very insulting to rural communities across the country.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: No, it is not. The Government policy is working.We have spent more than €100 million on remote working facilities. We have 295 remote working facilities. I was in Donegal-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I was in a remote working hub in Donegal not too long ago. A person there had returned home from America to live with their family and to work remotely.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I was in Bree, County Wexford, where two people had come back from Australia to live in their community. They are working for Australian companies from a remote working hub supported by funding from my Department.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: There are issues in certain areas. We will examine them and deal with them.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I do not have a copy of the report to release, so I cannot give the Deputy an answer on that. What I can tell him-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: -----is that where there are problems, we will address them. When I was Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, the Border area was way behind every other area, so we developed a Border regional development fund. This is a specific fund for the six counties along the Border and it has worked. Employment in those regions has increased. Where there are issues or difficulties, we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Earlier this year, my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, launched the Croí Cónaithe fund. The fund is initially focused on supporting the refurbishment of vacant homes in regional towns and villages. It is a key funding support under the town centre first policy that was jointly...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The scheme is a really good one. All present know from walking through rural towns and villages that there are derelict houses in them. A bit of encouragement would bring people back to living in the centre of towns and villages. It is welcome that the scheme has been extended to rural houses. I acknowledge that. The Minister for housing, Local Government and Heritage was committed to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The scheme has been rolled out through the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to the local authorities, which are administering it at a local level. I am not sure of the position with regard to the clawback. It is right that there should be a clawback. I agree with that principle in the context of a person selling a house. The idea is that the person will live in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Ó Cuív for raising this matter. The RRDF provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. The fund has to date allocated funding of €280 million for 191 projects across the country worth a total of €380 million. The RRDF is central to achieving the objectives and key...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Every time I meet local authorities, and I meet them fairly often, I continue to put pressure on them to get the money spent. As I said to them yesterday, if they do not spend the money, it is very hard for me to make the case for more money. Deputy Ó Cuív will appreciate that because there are always competing demands at budget time. The budget for this year is €69...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I expect to see significant spending in November and December. Some of these projects are taking longer than anybody would like. They have had problems with supply chains. One project is awaiting a particular piece of equipment before it can be finished and we are seeing that right across the board. I am putting the pressure on constantly. When one sees the finished projects, even if...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Dillon for raising this issue. Funding of around €280 million has already been allocated nationally under the RRDF. More €21 million has been approved to date in respect of 15 projects located in Mayo costing over €30 million. Mayo has the second highest allocation of funding in the country. I will shortly be announcing the successful projects under the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I cannot give the Deputy a commitment on that now but I hear what he is saying. I had thought the Deputy would mention the Connacht GAA dome. It is a great job. I believe it has been very successful. That was funded from my Department. These projects are all mighty big multimillion-euro projects. They are all assessed independently and, as I said, are nearly at a final stage. I will be...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The Charities Regulator is independent in its duties and the Deputy can appreciate this. If she wants to give me the details of the particular cases she has raised, I will be happy to follow them up.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Surviving Cohabitant’s Pension) Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Labour Party for its work on progressing this Bill and for providing the House with an opportunity to discuss this important matter today. I want to acknowledge Johnny, Maria and others in the Visitors Gallery. At the core of this issue is human loss. I know there are many cases of personal pain which are known to Senators across the House. Senator Wall was in touch with me...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Policies (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Town Centre First Policy is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. Key to this, is the establishment of the National Implementation Office to assist in the delivery and implementation of the policy, and to co-ordinate stakeholder engagement at a national level. It is also responsible for coordinating the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Since the introduction of the scheme in 2016 over €113 million has been allocated to more than 1,400 projects across Ireland. A key focus of the 2021 Scheme was to renovate derelict and vacant buildings in our town centres, including for...