Results 23,681-23,700 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Correspondence (23 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Cork Events Centre is a project being developed and managed by Cork City Council. My Department allocated €12 million to the City Council towards the cost of the Centre. This allocation is subject to a Service Level Agreement with the City Council to ensure compliance with all relevant requirements in relation to major capital projects. My Department recently received...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Leader Programmes Administration (23 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: With a budget of €250 million up to 2020, the Leader programme is a key part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development and has the capacity to deliver significant outcomes for rural areas. I am committed to implementing the Leader 2014-2020 programme as efficiently and as effectively as possible. However, I am also aware that concerns have been expressed regarding...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (23 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: As part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development, an enhanced Town and Village Renewal Scheme for 2017 was launched on 13 April 2017 and will focus on improving the economic development of our rural towns and villages. Funding of €20 million has been made available under the scheme, which will support up to 300 towns and villages over the next 15 months. The...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Firearms Licences (18 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: While I have no proposals to amend the Wildlife Acts, it is my understanding that a report has been produced by a working group set up by the Firearms Consultative Panel of the Department of Justice and Equality which recommends best practice guidelines on the issue of shooting and hunting at night. The report is now with the Firearms Consultative Panel itself and it is a matter for that...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Greenways Development (18 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The progression of any proposals in relation to the development of such a pedestrian and cycle route is a matter for consideration, in the first instance, by Irish Rail and Fingal County Council.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Thatching Grants Expenditure (18 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Financial support is provided by my Department through a number of structured schemes for the conservation and protection of heritage buildings, including the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, the Structures at Risk Fund and other initiatives operated by the Heritage Council. The Built Heritage Investment Scheme is a scheme for the repair and conservation of protected structures (i.e....

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (17 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The CEDRA report was a substantial body of research work on the issues affecting rural Ireland and it helped inform the preparation of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development which I published last January. The Action Plan builds upon, and goes further than, both the CEDRA report and the Charter for Rural Ireland. While the remit of the CEDRA report was to focus on the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (17 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Creative Ireland Programme 2017 – 2022 which was announced in December 2016 is a cross-Government initiative to mainstream culture and creativity in the life of the nation and to promote individual, community and national wellbeing. The objective of the fourth pillar of the Programme – establishing Ireland as a centre of excellence in media production – is to...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (17 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Rural Economic Development Zones (REDZ) are geographic areas that reflect the spatial patterns of local economic activity and development. The central objective of the REDZ concept is to use the synergies and interdependencies between rural towns and their outlying areas to generate local economic activity. A pilot REDZ initiative was launched in 2015 and, based on that pilot, I launched...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Expenditure (17 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 195 together. In general, matters relating to the acquisition and leasing of property for my Department and the bodies under its aegis are the responsibility of the Office of Public Works. I am advised that no expenditure was incurred by my Department on renting car park spaces during the period in question. The information requested by the Deputy in...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wildlife Regulations (17 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts currently prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August. Following a review of Section 40, which involved, inter alia, consideration of submissions from interested parties, I announced proposals in December 2015 to introduce legislation to allow for managed hedge cutting and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Archives (17 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is currently working on a draft Bill, in conjunction with the Office of the Parliamentary Draftsman, which will reduce the time limit for the release of certain departmental records after 20 years rather than the current 30 years. The Bill will propose to implement the change on a phased basis starting with the Departments of Taoiseach, Foreign Affairs and Trade, Justice and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Archives (17 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The following table outlines the staffing figures for the National Archives since the establishment of my Department in June 2011. Year End Headcount WTE 2011 47 45.5 2012 48 46.3 2013 48 46.3 2014 46 44.2 2015 44 42.4 2016 48 47.2 2017 (end April) 53 51.53I am advised that staffing levels in the National Archives and across my Department are kept under regular review and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Archives (17 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I have earmarked €8 million in funding for the first phase in a capital development plan at the National Archives. The OPW has appointed a design team to the project and I expect it to go to tender later this year. This significant capital investment will address many of the long-standing infrastructural issues that face the National Archives. Thanks to improvements in the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Staff Data (17 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 201 together. I am advised that currently there is nobody in my Department that was recruited through an agency. The information in respect of the bodies under the aegis of my Department is set out in the following tabular format. Body Number of agency staff Arts Council 12 Ulster Scots Agency 0 Irish Film Board 2 Chester Beatty Library...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Contracts Data (17 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised that no Human Resource or Industrial Relations work was contracted out by my Department to external agencies this year. Four agencies under the aegis of my Department contracted out such work to a total monetary value of €100,174 in 2017 to date. This relates to work contracted out by the Chester Beatty Library (€3,099), the National Gallery of Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Deer Hunting (16 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: There is an annual open season during which deer can be legally shot under licence. The open season for deer operates generally from 1 September to 28 February, depending on the species and gender of deer. Individuals can now apply to my Department for an annual deer hunting licence for the 2017/18 season. Application forms can be accessed through the website of the National Parks and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Gorse Burning (16 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts currently prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August. Following a review of Section 40, which involved, inter alia, consideration of submissions from interested parties, I announced proposals in December 2015 to introduce legislation to allow for managed hedge cutting and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Film Industry Development (16 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Irish Film Board is the national development agency for the Irish film, television and animation industry, investing in talent, creativity and enterprise. The Film Board is independent of my Department in its day-to-day operations and funding decisions are the sole responsibly of the Board. My Department has no role in the operation of its programmes and schemes. The Film Board supports...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (16 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Cork Events Centre is a project being developed and managed by Cork City Council. My Department allocated €12 million to the City Council towards the cost of the Centre. This allocation is subject to a Service Level Agreement with the City Council to ensure compliance with all relevant requirements in relation to major capital projects. My Department recently received...