Results 24,361-24,380 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Development Plan (14 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Government's Action Plan for Rural Development which was launched on 23 January will act as an overarching structure for the co-ordination and implementation of initiatives across Government which will benefit rural Ireland. The Plan has a much broader remit than the LEADER programme and contains over 270 actions to be delivered by a range of Government Departments, State agencies and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Development Plan (14 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Action 165 of Realising our Rural Potential, the Government's Action Plan for Rural Development, sets out a commitment to examine the potential to promote rural Ireland as the destination of choice for US colleges wishing to avail of a rural based learning or study abroad experience. The action in question was initiated by Connemara West plc, a community development company based in...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Register of Cultural Objects (14 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Section 48 of the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997 provides for the establishment of a Register of cultural objects and the registration of objects thereto. Section 49 of that Act details the legislative criteria by which items can be added to the Register. The Register was most recently considered by my Department when I made the decision to include a surrender letter written by...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Expenditure (14 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Details of provisional expenditure in respect of my Department and all Government Departments are published at Vote level by the Department of Finance on a monthly basis. Provisional current and capital expenditure figures in respect of my Department at Vote level as of 31 January 2017 are due to be published shortly at www.finance.gov.ie and these figures indicate that expenditure for...

Seanad: Action Plan for Rural Development: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I am very grateful for the invitation to attend the Upper House to provide an update on the recently launched Action Plan for Rural Development, entitled, Realising our Rural Potential. As someone who has lived and worked in rural Ireland for most of my life, there are few subjects for which I feel as passionately as ensuring that we provide the right conditions to allow rural Ireland to...

Seanad: Action Plan for Rural Development: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Senators for their contributions they. I very much welcome their input. This is the first ever cross-Government approach to rural Ireland. The Action Plan for Rural Development is a living document with the capacity to add further actions over its lifetime. I am happy to hear further suggestions from Senators on how we can target other areas as well. Senator O'Mahony is correct in...

Seanad: Action Plan for Rural Development: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: That is good news. We need to continue to work on it. Sometimes good news does not sit well with some people.

Seanad: Action Plan for Rural Development: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: That is a fact. It is good news.

Seanad: Action Plan for Rural Development: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Senator Kieran O'Donnell mentioned elderly people in isolated rural areas who want to move into towns and villages. I fully agree with what he said. The attitude is changing and people want to move into towns where the can access services. As the House is aware, I am examining a pilot scheme in the latter half of this year to encourage people to move back into town centres. Senator...

Seanad: Action Plan for Rural Development: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: All of the actions must come together. This is the first ever cross-Government, co-ordinated approach to rural Ireland. Real jobs are being created. The best yardstick to measure that is the unemployment figures, which are down from 15% to 7% and we will continue to work on that. The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Varadkar, has further initiatives to get people who are long-term...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Education Schemes (9 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Government appreciates the importance of the cultural and creative industries to Ireland, including the music industry and a range of initiatives are in place to support music and musical education. Under the Arts Act 2003, primary responsibility for the promotion and support of the arts, including music, throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. I am pleased that I secured...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Cross-Border Projects (9 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Government approval to restore a 2.5km stretch of the Ulster Canal from the Shannon-Erne Waterway to the International Scout Centre at Castle Saunderson, Co. Cavan was granted on 24 February 2015. The project, which comprises three work phases, is being undertaken by Waterways Ireland. Waterways Ireland is in the final stages of the tender assessment process for Phase 3 of the Ulster Canal...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Projects (9 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 165 together. There are a number of ways in which my Department acts in respect of possible heritage sites/buildings deemed to be at risk. Financial support is provided through a number of structured schemes for the repair, conservation, preservation or safeguarding of protected structures, sites or monuments. The Structures at Risk Fund seeks to...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Public Relations Contracts Data (9 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs was established under that title on 7 July 2016. It has responsibility for all the matters that previously came within the remit of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, which was itself established on 2 June 2011, and in addition is also responsible for certain functions transferred from the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (8 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Government's Action Plan for Rural Development, which was launched on 23rdJanuary, contains a number of measures which have the objective of rejuvenating Ireland's rural towns and villages to make them more attractive places in which to live and work, and to increase their tourism potential. I will shortly be launching an enhanced Town and Village Renewal Scheme for 2017, and towns and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Expenditure (8 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: Total Programme expenditure, excluding administration subheads, for the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and Island programme area in 2015 amounted to 100% of the 2015 allocation as per the Revised Estimates 2015. Provisional figures indicate that the total programme expenditure, excluding administration subheads, for the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and Island programme area in 2016 amounted to 106%...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commissions of Inquiry (8 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs was established under that title on 7thJuly 2016. It has responsibility for all the matters that previously came within the remit of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, which was itself established on 2ndJune 2011, and in addition is also responsible for certain functions transferred from the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Development Plan (8 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: The Action Plan for Rural Development, which was launched on 23rdJanuary, contains a number of measures which have the objective of rejuvenating Ireland's rural towns and villages to make them more attractive places in which to live and work, and to increase their tourism potential. Under my own Department's remit, these measures include the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the CLÁR...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (7 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: At the most recent meeting of the National Famine Commemoration Committee, it was agreed that a sub-group would be established to consider proposals for the 2017 commemoration and that a date for the next meeting of the Committee would be set when the sub-group had completed its work. That work is ongoing with the assistance of the secretariat and a meeting of the full committee will be...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Economic Development Zones (7 Feb 2017)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that funding of €75,000 was provided towards the cost of the project in question in 2015 under the Rural Economic Development Zones (REDZ) pilot initiative, operated by the then Department of Environment, Community and Local Government. The funding application was made by the relevant Local Authority, which I understand was also responsible for the implementation of...