Results 23,621-23,640 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wild Fires (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Significant environmental damage is caused by wildfires. This issue has become more acute in recent years, as evidenced by the spate of fires in various parts of the country, including a Coillte owned site of some 4,000 hectares Co. Galway in recent weeks.  Wild fires are not a natural phenomenon in Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I launched the 2017 Town and Village Renewal Scheme on 13th April last, with funding of €20 million available to support the revitalisation of up to 300 rural towns and villages over the next 12 months. The scheme is funded by my Department and will be delivered through the Local Authorities. This year’s scheme builds on the 2016 programme and a number of changes have...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Broadband Service Provision (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The report of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce, which was published last December, recommended the assignment by each Local Authority of an officer with responsibility for broadband and mobile phone services. The function of this officer is to act as a single point of contact for telecommunications operators on the rollout of telecommunications infrastructure, as well as to increase...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Film Industry Tax Reliefs (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 957 and 958 together. Section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 is a tax credit provided by the Irish Government as an incentive to film and television production in Ireland. Under Section 7 of the Film Regulations 2015 (S.I. 4 of 2015), a project must employ on the project a minimum of two trainees for each €355,000 of tax credit claimed, up to a...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Film Industry Tax Reliefs (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The 2017 CLÁR programme was launched on 31st March last, with a closing date of 5th May. The programme provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in disadvantaged rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population.Successful projects were announced over the last few weeks, with a total of just under €7 million allocated to approximately 230...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Action Plan for Rural Development (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 960 and 964 together. Vibrant towns and villages are at the heart of our rural communities and will play an important role in revitalising rural Ireland. The Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development, which was launched on 23rd January last, contains a number of measures which have the objective of rejuvenating Ireland’s rural towns and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Action Plan for Rural Development (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Government's Action Plan for Rural Development provides a framework for the coordinated delivery of over 270 actions by a range of Government Departments, State agencies and other bodies to support the economic and social development of rural areas, many of which have not felt the benefit of economic recovery. From my own Department’s perspective, initiatives such as the Town and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Archaeological Sites (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 962 and 963 together. All known archaeological monuments, of which there are in excess of 130,000, are entitled to protection under the National Monuments Acts 1930-2004. Protection may be extended to previously unrecorded monuments by entering them in the Register of Historic Monuments or the Record of Monuments and Places. The Acts allow me to make a...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Funding (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 965 and 971 together. Most of my Department's arts and culture budget is allocated to the agencies under its remit. Within these allocations, the Arts Council is the primary State agency for funding the arts in Ireland. In 2017, I will provide over €65m to the Arts Council, an increase of over 8% since 2016. Details of the Arts Council's expenditure...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Ireland, like all EU Member States, is bound by the requirements of the EU Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive. These Directives aim to ensure the protection of habitats and species which have been selected for conservation within special areas of conservation and special protection areas. Significant efforts have been made by the State to resolve the issue of the protection of...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Film Industry Promotion (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Irish Film Board is the national development agency for Irish film making and the Irish film, television and animation industry. Its statutory remit is to assist and encourage the making of film in the State and the development of a film industry in Ireland. The Film Board supports writers, directors and production companies across these sectors by providing investment loans for the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Waterways Issues (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: As I stated in my replies to Questions No. 437 and 438 from the Deputy on 7 March 2017, and Question 767 on 2 May 2017, Waterways Ireland continues to work closely with boat owners using the canals, canal users, land owners and representative groups. Contact is on-going between Waterways Ireland and the canal users groups, and local communities who support the efforts of Waterways Ireland in...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Archaeological Sites (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The role of the National Monuments Service of my Department is to preserve, protect and promote Ireland’s unique archaeological heritage. It fulfills this role through a variety of measures one of which includes the regulation of archaeological excavations in the State. All archaeological excavations are undertaken under licences issued by the Minister in accordance with S.26 of...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Funding (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Creative Europe 2014 - 2020 is the European Union’s funding programme to support the audiovisual, cultural and creative sectors. It consists of MEDIA and CULTURE sub-programmes as well as a Cross-sectoral strand. The Creative Europe - Culture sub-programme has granted over €13 million in project funding to projects with Irish partners in its first three years. The majority of...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Promotion (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I refer the Deputy to the answer I gave him on the 2 May last. The position has not changed in the interim. My Department will continue to support a broad range of programmes and initiatives across its remit to promote Ireland’s national image, including under the recently published Creative Ireland Programme and Action Plan for Rural Development. In addition, the Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Action Plan for Rural Development (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: In January of this yearthe Government's Action Plan for Rural Development, Realising our Rural Potential, was launched. In preparing the Action Plan, my Department conducted an extensive consultation process around the country to seek the views of people in rural Ireland on the issues of concern to them.The Plan addresses many of those concerns and sets out 276 actions to support the economic...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Appointments to State Boards (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Public Appointments Service (PAS) operates a dedicated website, www.stateboards.ie, through which it advertises vacancies on State Boards. Since this website was set up in 2014 I have consistently used it to identify suitably qualified members of the public who are interested in serving on boards under my remit as vacancies have arisen. I have not appointed any former TDs to boards under...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: EU Directives (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 975 and 976 together. The Birds Directive is implemented in Ireland under the Wildlife Acts and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011. Under the terms of the Directive, all Member States of the EU are bound to take measures to protect all wild birds and their habitats. Under Article 9(a) Member States may derogate in the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Funding (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I am aware of the issue regarding the provision of affordable studio space, particularly as a result of the changing property market.  In general, I would consider that local approaches driven by artists, local arts officers and the owners of vacant buildings are best suited to respond to the specific local circumstances involved and provide the most effective outcomes.My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Parks and Wildlife Service Staff (20 Jun 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised that there has been significant recruitment across my Department in recent times. Since May 2016 30 staff have been assigned to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and, in addition, 60 seasonal posts have been filled nationwide to cover the busy tourist season in both 2016 and 2017.  A recruitment campaign is currently underway to fill posts at Killarney House...