Results 25,921-25,940 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: UN Conventions (29 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is currently considering the issues regarding the ratification of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Ireland must ratify the Convention before applications can be submitted to obtain recognition for those aspects of the cultural heritage for which application is made. The Expert Advisory Committee which I established has...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Council (29 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: Primary responsibility for the promotion and support of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. The Council, although funded by my Department, is statutorily independent in its day-to-day operations and specifically in its funding decisions. A comprehensive review of the Arts Council's activities and operation over the period 2009 to 2012 was recently...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Parks Projects (29 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: My Department will keep this matter under review within the context of operational priorities for Killarney National Park and the funding resources available for the management of National Parks and Nature Reserves across the country.

Other Questions: EU Directives (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising all these issues today. The European Commission published a mandate for a fitness check on the EU birds and habitats directives in February 2014. Its purpose was to examine progress in the implementation and integration of the directives across the member states of the EU, the costs of implementation and of non-implementation of the legislation, and...

Other Questions: EU Directives (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I have spoken to Commissioner Vella and met him earlier this year. I have highlighted the difficulties we have with some of these directives and there is no doubt about this. I welcome the review which was initiated by the incoming Commission. The Department has engaged at official level and there is much further work to do in the process. We all need to engage in this, including our MEPs...

Other Questions: Wildlife Conservation (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976 to 2012 prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August during the nesting and breeding season for birds and wildlife. Vegetation such as hedgerows and scrub is important as wildlife habitat and needs to be managed in the interests of farming and biodiversity. As a result, a...

Other Questions: Wildlife Conservation (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. I am fairly familiar with the dates in Northern Ireland, which are the same as ours. They were changed from the end of July to the end of August. I fully understand the need for health and safety considerations, but councils have the authority to cut hedges where are there are health and safety issues and I would encourage them to do so. I live in the country and...

Other Questions: National Library (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: The VAT rate is a matter for the Department of Finance. I hear what the Deputy says but it will be a decision for the Minister for Finance. I hope I will be in a position to increase funding but I have to work within major constraints in terms of the budget. Dr. Sandra Collins was recently appointed director of the library. Sandra is a very welcome addition and I wish her well in her...

Other Questions: Cultural Policy (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: The aim of Culture 2025, Ireland's first national cultural policy, will be to set out the high-level aims and policies of the Government in this area in the period up to 2025. To help inform the public consultation process, I launched a discussion document on the proposed cultural policy on 7 August last. That document was informed by a colloquium of cultural stakeholders organised by my...

Other Questions: Cultural Policy (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I am aware of this and the short answer is "No". The development of our first national culture policy provides an important opportunity for everyone to have their say on what we want to achieve in terms of our arts and culture over the next decade. Setting out high-level aims up to 2025 will help to protect and promote our culture and encourage new cultural forms to flourish. The...

Other Questions: Cultural Policy (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I absolutely agree that we have become a multicultural society and we want to engage with other cultures because that diversity will continue to enrich our culture. We want to protect our own culture but, at the same time, embrace new cultures. We are also going to be looking at new technology because that is going to have a huge impact on our culture as well. I have put out these areas as...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Question: Turbary Rights (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: As I said in my reply, the review of the raised bog natural heritage area network was published in January 2014. It sets out the future arrangements for turf cutting on each of the 75 current raised bogs. There has been consultation on this review and stakeholders were given the opportunity to provide their views. Some people will have to stop cutting on the natural heritage areas from...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Question: Turbary Rights (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: What I am saying is that there is a group of natural heritage areas that are already de-designated. We are already engaging with the people who will have to stop cutting by 2017, and we have opened a compensation scheme to them. Some designated sites will be de-designated and we will designate new sites that will be mainly on State lands. We are trying to ensure that there will be a good...

Other Questions: National Library (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: While my Department provides funding to the national cultural institutions, the management and board of each institution are responsible for all operational matters and I do not have a statutory function in this regard. It is the responsibility of the management and the board of each institution to determine the spending priorities for their individual institutions, based on the resources...

Other Questions: National Library (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I acknowledge that there are issues at the library and I am very aware of them. I am conscious of that and want to see investment in the library increase in the year ahead, but we are working within major budgetary constraints. The economy is doing well, but it is fragile and there will be difficulties. The Deputy can rest assured that I will be putting the case forward for the library. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Question: Turbary Rights (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: Since the Government came into office, huge efforts have been made to solve the issue of the protection of Ireland's raised bog SACs within the framework of the EU habitats directive. These have included intense and ongoing engagement with turf cutting interests, farmers, non-governmental organisations and the European Commission. Notwithstanding the complexity involved, progress in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Question: Wildlife Protection (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I am responsible for the enforcement of legislation, including the Wildlife Acts and the birds and natural habitats regulations of 2011, prohibiting the release or introduction of listed invasive species, or allowing them to spread. However, responsibility for the control of invasive species normally lies with the landowner. As Minister, I am not responsible for or resourced to control...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Question: Wildlife Protection (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: In general, the landowner is responsible for control. As with the Noxious Weeds Act, the legislation in question is complex to enforce in practice. In this case, it requires a multi-agency response, and that is what is happening. We have to work together. The problem is serious and I accept that. Some work has been done on it. Following the initial identification of the Asian clam in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Question: City of Culture Initiative (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: In budget 2014, an allocation of €6 million was made to Limerick City of Culture 2014 to be paid through the Vote of my Department. In November 2014, sanction was received from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, on foot of an application from Limerick City and County Council, for applying additional funding of up to €1.5 million to Limerick City of Culture from...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Question: City of Culture Initiative (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I do not agree that the whole thing was a debacle. In fact Limerick City of Culture was a huge success. The Government initially committed €6 million for Limerick City of Culture. Following an application from Limerick City and County Council, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform last November sanctioned additional funding of up to €1.5 million from savings in the...