Results 24,821-24,840 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Other Questions: Rural Development Plan (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Funding for rural development programmes within my Department's Estimate for 2017 will amount to €79.27 million. This represents an increase of €18 million or 29% compared to the 2016 baseline of €61.2 million. This will allow for increased activity on key rural development schemes administered by the Department and will also complement the broader work of the...

Other Questions: Rural Development Plan (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: This action plan for rural development is about joined-up thinking at a higher level and getting Departments to "rural proof" their policies and positively discriminate in favour of rural Ireland. I have said this on a number of occasions and they will have to focus on rural Ireland. The Deputy mentioned the village of Moate, and I will be happy to visit. It is great to see communities...

Other Questions: Arts Funding (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Garry Hynes runs the very successful Druid Theatre Company in Galway. I do not know when that comment was made but I am sure she, like other organisations, will welcome the increase. I have been very clear that as the economy continues to improve I wish to see more money invested in the arts. I have achieved that since 2014. Every year has seen an increase in investment in the arts. It...

Other Questions: Arts Funding (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Capital money is for building. It is for bricks on mortar.

Other Questions: Arts in Education Charter (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The programme for a partnership Government commits to the implementation of the arts in education charter. This is a partnership between my Department, the Department of Education and Skills and the Arts Council. Under the Arts Act 2003, primary responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council, which is the main channel of...

Other Questions: Arts in Education Charter (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I agree that there are huge benefits for children who are exposed to the arts. My Department supports Music Network by way of the music capital scheme, whereby instruments can be bought for children. Funding of €210,000 was provided under the scheme in 2016. In many cases, young people and groups might not have the necessary funding to purchase musical instruments and this scheme...

Other Questions: Arts Funding (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: There is no spin.

Other Questions: Arts Funding (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. I want to be very clear because these figures can become confusing. There was almost €49 million in once-off funding allocated to my Department for the Ireland 2016 centenary programme this year. It was a once in a century event. The majority of that funding, €31 million, was spent on major capital projects such as the GPO visitors' centre, which is a...

Other Questions: Arts Funding (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The remainder of the commemoration funding, €18 million, was in current funding to fund initiatives such as the major parade on Easter Sunday and events across the country. I have retained the vast majority of that funding for 2017 and I am reinvesting it back into the Arts Council, the Irish Film Board and cultural institutions. I gave the Deputy a breakdown earlier.

Other Questions: Arts Funding (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: They are finished. They are all finished.

Other Questions: Arts Funding (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: No.

Other Questions: Arts Funding (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be glad to hear that under Culture 2025 it is something we have highlighted. I accept we need to do some work on the statistics.

Other Questions: Arts Funding (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: It is something that is ongoing. We will do it because it is important we know how much funding is needed. I am delighted I was able to increase the funding to the arts. Guess what? The Arts Council, the Irish Film Board and Culture Ireland were also delighted. They are all happy they got an increase. I would love to give them more but we have managed to do very well this year. Will...

Other Questions: Arts Funding (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I am glad to report, as in my reply to Deputy Barry, that I have retained the majority of the €18 million current funding which was provided for the 2016 commemorations for reallocation to arts and cultural purposes within my Department’s Vote. It will, therefore, become part of the baseline figures for my Department, meaning it will be carried forward into future years. As I...

Other Questions: Arts Funding (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. I will be clear. The investment in our artists, which is the most important thing, is €18 million in current expenditure. That investment will go into a number of different areas. The Arts Council will get an extra €5 million. People are getting confused between capital and current expenditure. The point is that we have built those projects. They are...

Other Questions: Arts Funding (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be glad to hear that in budget 2017, I secured a series of funding increases across the arts and cultural bodies under my remit. These include an extra €5 million for the Arts Council, which is an 8% increase; €2 million extra for the film board; an extra €1 million for Culture Ireland; a significant additional allocation of €3.5 million for the...

Other Questions: National Spatial Strategy (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I understand. I am from rural Ireland, the same as Deputy Tóibín, as are the Ministers of State, Deputies Kyne and Ring. We are committed to rural Ireland and I can assure Deputy Tóibín of that. Rural Ireland will be addressed as part of an issues and option paper, which will include a section entitled, "A place-based strategy for rural Ireland". This comes back to...

Other Questions: National Spatial Strategy (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: To answer Deputy Tóibín's question, we have allocated funding within our budget to rural Ireland. We have a €12 million town and village enhancement programme. I am getting very positive feedback from local authorities and from individuals from communities right across the country. We launched €10 million in funding this year and they are working extremely hard to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The Leader programme for 2014-20 will now be delivered in the west Cork sub-regional area by West Cork LCDC in conjunction with its implementing partners, Avondhu Blackwater Partnership CLG, Comhar na nOileán Teoranta and South and East Cork Area Development Partnership Limited. A funding agreement has issued to West Cork LCDC and I expect that Leader funding will commence in west Cork...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Heritage Sites (20 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The graving docks in the Grand Canal basin are located in the site known as city block 19. I am advised by Waterways Ireland that this site is being considered for development in partnership with the private sector. Development will be in accordance with the North Lotts and Grand Canal dock strategic development zone, SDZ, planning scheme for the area. The SDZ outlines the nature and extent...