Results 24,641-24,660 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Other Questions: Heritage Council Funding (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: My Department's allocation to the Heritage Council in 2017 will be €6.254 million, subject to final confirmation in the Revised Estimates. This amount excludes any contribution from the environment fund, which has yet to be decided with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. The contribution to the council from this fund amounted to €748,000 in 2016....

Other Questions: Heritage Council Funding (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I accept that there are challenges. Work has continued under the built heritage investment scheme. I launched a new €2 million scheme for the repair and conservation of protected structures on 21 October 2015. The scheme operated this year via the local authorities on the same basis as the successful built heritage job leverage scheme that ran in 2014. The scheme is expected to...

Other Questions: Heritage Council Funding (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I simply do not have a total figure before me.

Other Questions: Heritage Council Funding (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I do not have time to add it up but I will provide Deputy Ó Cuív with the figure. Let us be clear: the Heritage Council got a 19% increase in funding this year. That is the largest increase in funding the council has received in a long time. The council very much welcomed the increase. I want to build on the initiatives already announced, including the towns and village...

Other Questions: Rural Economic Development Zones (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Regarding the REDZ programme I have given the local authorities funding with the approval of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The local authorities are empowered financially to start the work immediately and the Deputy should contact his local authority to ascertain when the work will commence. The money is available; it is there for them to start the work immediately on...

Other Questions: Rural Economic Development Zones (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: That is exactly what the REDZ programme and the town and village enhancement programmes do. They work with local communities and local authorities. It is about identifying the projects that will best benefit from funding and how the communities can build on their strengths. The Deputy and I know, coming from rural Ireland, that there is huge energy and commitment in rural Ireland. This is...

Other Questions: Rural Economic Development Zones (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I launched a call for proposals under a new phase of the REDZ initiative on 21 September this year. Following an assessment of the applications received under this call, I announced details of 41 successful proposals which have been allocated funding of just over €5.3 million in total for REDZ projects across the country yesterday. REDZ are functional rather than administrative...

Priority Questions: Arts Funding (29 Nov 2016)

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. However, my...

Priority Questions: Arts Funding (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I agree with the Deputy that there is a need for increased artists' studio space. In respect of rural Ireland, under the town and village enhancement scheme and the rural economic development zones, REDZ, programme, additional art spaces are being made available, and I very much welcome that. The REDZ programme was only announced yesterday. There is space in many of those projects for...

Priority Questions: Arts Funding (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The best way to resolve this is to work with Arts Council, Dublin City Council, as the Deputy mentioned, and the OPW. Where they identify vacant buildings that are in public use, there is no reason why these could not be adapted and developed into studio spaces. If suggestions are put forward by the different organisations, I will certainly consider them. As already stated, however, the...

Priority Questions: Library Projects (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: This project, as I said, is being developed by Mayo County Council. I met it in relation to the plans early last year when I was briefed on the project. My Department then got a formal request for funding towards the Mary Robinson centre from Mayo County Council in July of 2015, and the request was for €2.175 million. Funding of €2 million for the Mary Robinson centre was...

Priority Questions: Library Projects (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: To be clear, there is nothing unusual about this process. We work regularly with local authorities and we support local authorities in developing projects in their counties. In fact, I can give the Deputy a list of projects that were awarded grants under departmental schemes. Projects which were awarded grants in recent years include the Wexford Opera House, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí...

Priority Questions: Library Projects (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The Taoiseach did not ask me to provide funding for this project but I was aware that he was supportive of the project because he made it known. Naturally, he spoke publicly about his support for the project. As a Deputy for Mayo, why would he not want to support a worthwhile project in his constituency?

Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: While it is too early at this point to accurately forecast the full end of year outturn, I can advise that all current funding is expected to be expended in full and no capital savings beyond those which can be carried forward by deferred surrender into 2017 are envisaged at present. Public financial procedures provide that a maximum of 10% of the capital envelope of a Vote may be carried...

Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Regarding the Leader funding, there was €40 million in the budget. I have just reallocated under €35 million. That was made up of €22 million from the Leader rural sub-economy programme; that is, €22 million out of the €40 million. The balance of almost €13 million came from the arts programme, which mainly related to allocations originally made in...

Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: All of the budgets are being kept under review. As the Deputy will appreciate, this happens. It is normal in any budgetary year. I am keeping spending under close review and I am keeping in touch with DPER. There are a number of weeks to go before the end of the year and spending continues. On the programme side, as I said, I expect to spend all of my current expenditure apart from the...

Priority Questions: Library Projects (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: My Department approved a grant to Mayo County Council in respect of the proposed Mary Robinson centre in Ballina under subhead A7 of my Department’s Vote, which supports cultural infrastructure and development. It should be noted that my Department supports a range of capital projects in the cultural area, both scheme-based and once-off. For example, the permanent reminder...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Council Funding (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Under the Arts Act 2003, primary responsibility for the promotion and support of the arts, including arts and disability, throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. The Council is, of course, statutorily independent in relation to its funding and executive decisions. The significant additional funding that I secured for the Arts Council as part of Budget 2017 will see an...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Development Programme (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 41 together. The Programme for a Partnership Governmentcontains a suite of commitments for delivery across Government relating to rural development. The measures detailed in the Programme include the provision of next-generation broadband, addressing the renewal of the post office network, supporting local jobseekers, and the provision of services in...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Historical Records (29 Nov 2016)

Heather Humphreys: There exist a number of historically important original documents in the possession of the State written by Pádraig Pearse during the 1916 Rising and during his subsequent imprisonment. Following consultation with the relevant institutions under the aegis of my Department, it is a shared view that the amount being sought for this one letter – between €1m and €1.5m -...