Results 23,701-23,720 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Cycling Facilities Provision (16 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: As indicated in my reply to Question Number 342 of 9 May 2016, as it is unclear to my Department what discussions are being referred to, I asked my officials to contact the Deputy directly on this matter. My Department has since been in contact with the Deputy’s office and explained that there are no ongoing or pending discussions between the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Is mór agam an deis seo a fháil inniu chun meastúcháin mo Roinne do 2017 a phlé. I am very pleased to have this opportunity to outline the 2017 priorities for my Department. The responsibilities of my Department are very broad and diverse. They include the facilitation of the economic development of Ireland's regions and the sustainable development of vibrant and...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I wanted to speak about my Department's heritage programme and go through the different figures. I will bring in the Ministers of State at various stages. Will I continue?

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ring, and I will make some introductory remarks on the heritage programme, for which funding of over €45 million has been made available. It includes €35.7 million for current expenditure, with a further €9.8 million in capital funding. A further sum of €2 million is available by way of a capital carryover. The protection of...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: If it pleases the Chair, my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Kyne, will now speak about aspects of the Estimates relevant to the Gaeltacht, the Irish language and the islands.

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Turning to North-South co-operation, more than €38.6 million is made available to support the two North-South implementation bodies, An Foras Teanga, comprising Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster-Scots Agency, and Waterways Ireland. These allocations are also subject to the approval of the North-South Ministerial Council. In respect of Waterways Ireland, the overall allocation for 2017...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. First, I fought hard, as did my two colleagues, to get an increase in the budget for rural Ireland. I was delighted to do that in the 2017 Estimates. The Deputy is correct, I also want the money spent. At this stage, it is far too early to make definitive assessments of likely outturns. The real story around capital takes place in the summer. My Department is...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Yes.

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: On the funding allocated to local authorities, I have made it very clear to them that funding for this year will be contingent on progress on projects funded in 2016. I agree with the Deputy that there is no point in central government providing the funding if it does not get out to the projects. We all know the projects nationwide and especially in our own constituencies that need to get...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising these issues and for her comments on the Creative Ireland plan. She was present at the two consultations in Monaghan and Cavan, which were very well attended. There is great interest in it and there was great feedback. We are going throughout the country to consult. We are listening to people's views and asking them what they think of this, how they can...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: There is more to it than that. Only yesterday, I consulted the arts in education people. I attended another event on Saturday to do with enabling the creative potential of every child. I have consulted with the audiovisual sector. We have a number of high-profile events organised for later in the year. This is about putting culture and creativity at the heart of Irish society. We will...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Exactly. I want Creative Ireland to be able to have a space there, to get this engagement and to encourage more people to be involved in it.

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Yes, it is all coming out of the €5 million but it has not all been fully allocated yet. The matter is under discussion. There are some other-----

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The workshops have been completed. We have gone to every local authority and worked with them. We will help them develop their Creative Ireland plans for every county. That is broadly it. Obviously, there are administrative costs and we want to have a Creative Ireland forum towards the end of the year, where we will bring all of the stakeholders together. In terms of being a centre of...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Yes, I am coming to that.

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: It is about the public engagement and the events. In terms of the creative potential of every child, there is Arts Council funding in this area for 2017 because it is really the Arts Council with which we are working. The Arts Council is working with education centres and the ETBs.

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Yes, along with the Department of Education and Skills.

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: We are working very closely with the Department of Education and Skills. We have signed the arts in education charter. We are elaborating further on the charter through Creative Ireland, which is enabling the creative potential of every child. We want to ensure that every child will have the opportunity to access tuition in arts by 2022. It is about arts in education. We are bringing in...

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Arts Council funding in this area for 2017 has increased from €3.1 million to €3.7 million. It is being funded through the Arts Council.

Select Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Revised) (11 May 2017)

Heather Humphreys: No, but there is all of the engagement. There is a lot of work involved in bringing these people together because they have worked individually for a long time. This is about pulling it all together.