Results 24,961-24,980 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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. We have agreed to look at that. We need to put timeframes in place and we will do that.

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 accept that. This matter has been raised with us. We will do that.

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: The OPW deals with that.

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: My Department, in line with its heritage and environment roles, wanted to have protocols in place with the OPW so that we would not delay any projects that are being pursued to alleviate flooding problems.

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: My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Kyne, will speak about the relevant aspects of the Estimate for the Gaeltacht, the Irish language and the islands.

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: No. It comes under the next section.

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: As the committee is aware, rural development is a key priority in the programme for a partnership Government. There are more than 80 commitments in the programme for Government for delivery across a range of Departments and agencies, which will have a positive impact on rural Ireland. My Department has been tasked with providing greater co-ordination and prioritisation of the work across...

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 will answer Deputy Healy-Rae first. With regard to the Leader programme, the funding is going to companies that have signed the contracts. Some of the Leader companies have been receiving transitional funding while they were preparing their strategies. The funding is there. It will be fine if there is any specific issue that the Deputy would like to bring up with me later with regard to...

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: The Chairman is aware of a confidential legal agreement that was put in place with Meath Partnership. That was entered into by the then Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. I have not seen that contract. However, I understand there is a clause in it that allows the Comptroller and Auditor General to view the contract.

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, as I said, there is a clause in the contract to the effect that the Comptroller and Auditor General will have access to the contract. I can take advice to see what I can let the Chairman know about it.

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 satisfied that we have signed new contracts. There is a strategy that has to be adhered to. The strategy was independently assessed in respect of the different Leader companies decided upon. I am satisfied there are controls in place and that the strategy has to be met.

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: Again, the company submitted the application to roll out Leader funding in Meath. It was independently assessed, as I have said. I am happy with that.

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: That was my understanding.

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 launched the Leader programme as the Deputy has outlined, with €10 million for the town and village project; €5 million was announced last week for the Rural Economic Development Zones, REDZ, programme; €4.5 million for the rural recreation projects and the Minister of State intends to announce details of the new CLÁR programme shortly. We have done a lot in a...

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: That is the issue regarding next year's funding and I will be making the case for rural Ireland. My colleagues here will support me in making that case. That is part of the budgetary process.

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: The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment is dealing with the national broadband plan and the Minister, Deputy Naughten, would be able to answer that question. My role is to work with the local authorities and preparing for when the plan is being rolled out. The Chairman would have to ask him that question because I do not know the answer.

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 not familiar with the details of the national plan, that is for the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. I know, however, that the State has to subsidise the commercial operators to roll out the broadband, whoever the preferred bidder is, to rural Ireland. Unfortunately 30% of the people who do not have broadband live in 95% of the landmass. It is akin to...

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: This falls within the remit of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment but I understand that certain standards have to be met and there is a benchmark. The customer should not pay any more for broadband in rural Ireland than in the cities. There is a benchmark for what people will pay and the figure should be similar across the country.

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 cannot answer that question because that comes under the remit of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

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 had bilaterals with every local authority last week and I had previously met the County and City Management Association. I work closely with them and from my experience, they all want the roll-out of broadband. They know the importance of broadband to every county. Every one of them said they were up to the mark, that they want to work with us and that their county needs broadband. It...