Results 24,921-24,940 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Community Development Initiatives (11 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for a Partnership Governmentcontains a suite of commitments for delivery across Government relating to the protection of local services in rural Ireland. The measures detailed in the Government Programme include the provision of next-generation broadband coverage, addressing the renewal of the post office network, supporting local jobseekers, and the provision of other services...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Local Authority Funding (11 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The facility to which the Deputy refers is the responsibility of Donegal County Council. My Department does not have available to it a fund or scheme which could be used to assist with provision of a footbridge of this nature.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Health and Safety Regulations (11 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The issues raised by the Deputy are day-to-day matters for the agencies concerned. Arising from the work of the Sub-Committee on Dáil Reform, my Department is currently engaged in a review of the arrangements currently in place in the State bodies under its aegis for the provision of information to members of the Oireachtas in relation to such matters. Pending completion of this...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Agencies Staff Data (11 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: The issues raised by the Deputy are day-to-day matters for the agencies concerned. Arising from the work of the Sub-Committee on Dáil Reform, my Department is currently engaged in a review of the arrangements currently in place in the State bodies under its aegis for the provision of information to members of the Oireachtas in relation to such matters. Pending completion of this...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (11 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I am informed that an application for funding for the project referred to by the Deputy was submitted to the relevant Local Action Group under the previous LEADER programme 2007-2013. I am also informed that the board of the Local Action Group decided not to fund the project in question. In line with the bottom-up approach to LEADER, the responsibility to approve funding, or otherwise,...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Sites (11 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 339 and 340 together. All works carried out on the Skellig Michael World Heritage site are subject to my consent under the National Monuments Act. Details of such works are set out in the annual reports of the Skellig Michael Implementation Group which is responsible for oversight of all operations on the site. Works to St. Michael's Church are referred in...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (6 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: All grant payments from my Department are subject to the provisions of Circular 13/2014 from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds. This includes paragraph 11(i) on the retention of end-year balances which specifies that, where grantees are pre-funded and there are unexpended balances of grant money at...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Public Sector Staff Retirements (5 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I assume the Deputy is referring to lump sums paid in the case of bodies/agencies under the aegis of my Department. Details in this regard are set out in the table in the format requested. Details regarding lump sums paid to civil servants are a matter for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Band (€) 2013 Number paid 2014 Number paid 2015 Number paid 0 –...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Expenditure (4 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I understand that the project team aims to make payments within 15 working days of project plans being signed by the individual participants. About one third of all participants taking part in the project have already done so and have received payment. Every effort is being made currently by the project team to finalise the planning process for those participants who have still to sign...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wildlife Regulations (4 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976, as amended, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Strategy Statements (4 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: My Department remains fully committed to meeting its obligations regarding the public duty referred to in the ‘details supplied’ and will include a specific reference to this commitment in the forthcoming Statement of Strategy. My Department is fully cognisant of the Programme for a Partnership Governmentcommitments in relation to equality and gender proofing and will have...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Easter Rising Commemorations (4 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: It is a long standing policy of the State not to comment one way or another on its interest or otherwise in items that may be coming up for auction.

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department has received this submission and it is being considered. In this regard, it should be noted that the Programme for a Partnership Government contains a very important commitment to work progressively to increase funding to the arts, including funding to the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board, as the economy improves. I assure the Deputy that I am engaging with my...

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

Heather Humphreys: More than €188 million is being provided in 2016 for the arts, culture and film sector, an increase of 20% on the figure for 2015. In addition, a further €6.158 million is provided for 2016 by way of a capital carry-over. A key driver of the increase in funding for the arts and in cultural expenditure in my Department in 2016 is the ongoing Commemorations Programme. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 33 - Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (28 Sep 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I am pleased to have the opportunity to address the joint committee on the performance, expenditure and targets of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht during the first half of 2016. A gross provision of over €382 million is available to my Department in 2016. In addition, a further €6.158 million in funding was carried over from the 2015 capital provision....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 33 - Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (28 Sep 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for his comments on the 2016 commemorations. Its success came from collaboration, with everybody working together right across the country, including local authorities and communities. There was an invitation we extended for people to come forward with their ideas and everybody worked together to make it what it was. I agree with the Deputy that culture is so...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 33 - Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (28 Sep 2016)

Heather Humphreys: It was clear from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform that my baseline for next year is €327 million.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 33 - Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (28 Sep 2016)

Heather Humphreys: Yes, what they are saying is there was a once-off payment for commemorations. There was €48.5 million allocated in last year's budget under the decade of centenaries. The breakdown is approximately €18 million in current funding and €30 million in current funding. The current funding went towards the State ceremonial programme for 2016 and much of the capital funding...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 33 - Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (28 Sep 2016)

Heather Humphreys: I am aware of those calls and I met representatives of the National Campaign for the Arts. I will meet them again next week. Representatives of cultural institutions were here earlier and I regularly meet their chairpersons. I am in touch with all the different organisations, including the Heritage Council and the Arts Council, where I attended an event this morning. I am very conscious...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 33 - Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (28 Sep 2016)

Heather Humphreys: On the question of having world class artistic development, one of the priorities of Culture 2025 is to carry out a critical analysis of direct and indirect supports that are funding arts and cultural activity. That is something that we want to look at. Yes, my Department does look at different models elsewhere but I want to see more work done on that issue. As part of Culture 2025, we...