Results 26,201-26,220 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Staff Allowances (16 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: The total amount spent per annum in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015 on staff subsistence payments and on taxi payments where staff are engaged in official business is laid out in the following table. - 2011 € 2012 € 2013 € 2014 € 2015 € (to 12 June 2015) Staff Subsistence Payments 528,823.93 570,528.62 522,597.55 474,142.36 199,038.87 Taxi...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Reports (16 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: As my Department was established on 2 June 2011, the requested information is being provided from that date. My Department commissioned nine reports since its establishment and the details requested by the Deputy are set out in the table. Contracts for the provision of services are not included. One of the reports, "Review of PSO Air Service for the Aran Islands" was published in May 2014....

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Payments (16 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: An application for compensation under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme has been received by my Department from the individual referred to in the Deputy's Question. I am advised that a payment of €1,500 in respect of year 1 of 15 (2011) and a payment of €1,500 in respect of year 2 of 15 (2012) have been made to this applicant. The qualifying criteria for the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Schemes (11 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has established an Irish Historic Houses Steering Group, the objectives of which is to advise me with regard to strategies to support the sustainable future of larger Irish historic houses, in particular with regard to the complexities of balancing private ownership with public benefit, and to ascertain if existing supports provided by various government Departments, local...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (11 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised that, based on current staffing levels, the estimated additional annual cost of introducing a minimum rate of pay as described by the Deputy, for staff employed in my Department and those bodies under its aegis, would be in the order of €160,000.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Funding (10 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: The Arts Council operates under the provisions of the Arts Act 2003, which provides, inter alia, that the Council is independent in the performance of its functions in funding the Arts. As Minister, therefore, I have no role in relation to any decisions of the Arts Council in relation to funding. It may be noted that the Arts Council operates an appeals and complaints procedure, and,...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Expenditure (10 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has not incurred any costs for acquiring satellite imagery during the past 4 years.

Draft Commission of Investigation (Certain matters concerning transactions entered into by IBRC) Order 2015: Motion (9 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I welcome the establishment of the commission of investigation into transactions at IBRC. I welcome the fact that the Government has reacted to public concerns on the issue. A commission of investigation is the best way to establish the facts and outline the full details of transactions which were undertaken on taxpayers' behalf by IBRC. The commission of investigation will have a broad...

Draft Commission of Investigation (Certain matters concerning transactions entered into by IBRC) Order 2015: Motion (9 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: It is important to consider that before we had IBRC, we had Anglo Irish Bank. It is important to consider how this Government was left to clean up the mess of Anglo Irish Bank. It is important to remember how the previous Fianna Fáil Government pumped €34 billion of taxpayers' money into a dead bank and how the policies adopted by that Government allowed Anglo Irish Bank to get...

Seanad: Yeats 2015: Statements (9 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: It gives me great pleasure to be here today to outline to the Seanad the celebrations of Yeats Day 2015 and surrounding events. Yeats Day 2015, which takes place this coming Saturday, celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Nobel Prize winning poet, William Butler Yeats. The key focal point for the celebrations is a four-day Yeats Festival from 11 to 14 June, centred in County...

Seanad: Yeats 2015: Statements (9 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, John Millington Synge and Sean O'Casey all came to experience its magic. Yeats described it as the most beautiful place on earth, and many of his great poems were written at or about Coole. On Sunday, 7 and 14 June, guided walks will be offered at 3 p.m. through the magical landscape that Yeats loved so well and celebrated in his poetry. Our...

Seanad: Yeats 2015: Statements (9 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I thank my colleagues for their valuable contributions to this discussion. I mentioned Lissadell House and I also wish to pay tribute to Edward Walsh and Constance Cassidy for the tremendous work they have done at this house. It is certainly a labour of love and an absolute credit to them. I have visited it and what I love about it is the fact that it is once again a family home. It is a...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Projects (9 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Questions Nos. 1055 and 1056 on 26 May, 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Projects (9 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht was established on the 1 June 2011. In 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015 my Department operated a Structures at Risk Fund to assist with works to safeguard structures protected under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, where an urgent need for works to such structures had arisen and had been demonstrated. In 2014 my Department was...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (9 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I received correspondence recently from the Deputy on behalf of the committee referred to in the Question. A reply has now issued in relation to the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Natural Heritage Areas Designation (9 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: The Review of Raised Bog Natural Heritage Area Network waspublished in January 2014and concluded that Ireland could more effectively achieve conservation of threatened raised bog habitat through focused protection and restoration of a reconfigured network. This will entail the phasing out of turf-cutting on certain natural heritage areas by 1 January 2017 and the partial or complete...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Correspondence (9 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that I have received the correspondence from the community group in question. This matter is under consideration in my Department and I hope to be in a position to issue a reply shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (9 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy can appreciate, the scope to provide funding for the Built Heritage is constrained by the current national economic difficulties and the significant reduction in the public finances. While there is no specific funding mechanisms for the area referred to, my Department is currently operating the Structures at Risk Fund 2015 to support the conservation and repair of heritage...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Projects (9 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1196 and 1197 together. My role, as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, with regard to the protection and management of our built and natural heritage is set out in the provisions of relevant legislation. Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides for the protection of the architectural heritage. The Act gives...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (9 Jun 2015)

Heather Humphreys: Festivals which encompass arts or heritage programming may qualify for grants from certain bodies under the aegis of my Department. Primary responsibility for the promotion and support of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. The Council has a Festival and Events Scheme and there are two calls for applications each year. Information on the funding...