Results 26,981-27,000 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Seanad: Appointments to Board of Irish Museum of Modern Art: Statements (23 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: It is important to restate that I believe in ensuring that boards include representatives from the regions. This is in keeping with my policy and desire to make the arts more accessible to communities throughout the country. I am confident that both Mr. McNulty and Ms O'Regan have the right skill sets to serve the board of IMMA well. I take this opportunity to acknowledge that all our...

Seanad: Appointments to Board of Irish Museum of Modern Art: Statements (23 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. I welcome this opportunity to address the issues which Senator Thomas Byrne has raised in his speech in the Seanad today. The Irish Museum of Modern Art, IMMA, is Ireland's leading national institution for the collection and presentation of modern and contemporary art. The museum presents a wide variety of art in a dynamic programme of exhibitions,...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Irish Language (23 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: As indicated in replies to a number of Parliamentary Questions on this matter (Question Nos. 316 and 319 on 24 June 2014, Question No. 114 on 26 June 2014 and Question 264 on 1 July 2014), a decision on whether or not to extend the derogation for the use of Irish in EU institutions for a further period of time is required by December 2015 at the latest. In this context, my Department, in...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Thatching Grants Eligibility (23 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: The architectural conservation officer in the local authority, in this case Cork County Council, will generally be able to advise of funding available for conservation works to thatched buildings in the area and it is advisable for interested parties to remain in contact with their local authority on an on-going basis. Officials from my Department have also given direct advice in 2014 to...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (23 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: I refer the Deputy to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 431 of 15 July 2014 in relation to this matter. As stated in that reply, under the Capital Stimulus Package announced in the Budget, funding of €6m was provided in 2014 in respect of the 1916 Commemorations Programme. A number of flagship capital projects come under the scope of this programme, including Kilmainham...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Payments (23 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: Under the provisions of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 and the Wildlife Acts, compensation is payable in certain circumstances where activities must cease for the conservation of a designated site. The company referred to in the Deputy’s Question was compelled to cease commercial peat extraction operations within certain designated sites and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Payments (23 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: 148 applications for compensation from Mouds Bog special area of conservation under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme have been received and acknowledged by my Department. A total of 76 payments have been made, to date, in respect of these applications for year 3 of 15 (2014). Details of turf deliveries which have been made in respect of applicants from Mouds Bog are set out...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Agencies Staff Remuneration (23 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the current remuneration of the relevant CEOs is set out in the table below. These remuneration levels changed in the period specified by the Deputy through the application of the terms of the Haddington Road Agreement which came into effect on 1stJuly 2013. Details of the Haddington Road Agreement are available on the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Expenditure (18 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 275 to 278, inclusive, together Some 3,000 applications for compensation under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme for raised bog special areas of conservation have been received and acknowledged by my Department. A total of 6,081 payments and 528 deliveries of turf have been made in respect of the applications received. In addition, 1,184...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Relocation Options (18 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: Some 3,000 applications for compensation under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme, applicable to raised bog special areas of conservation, have been received and acknowledged by my Department. Of these, 824 applicants have expressed an interest in relocation to non-designated bogs.As the Deputy will appreciate, relocation is a complex process, in terms of -investigating...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wildlife Protection (18 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: The Hen Harrier is protected under the European Union’s Birds Directive and 6 Special Protection Areas have been designated for the conservation of the species. The birds are under threat due to a number of factors, such as the reclamation of upland open habitats for agriculture, the development of wind farms and the maturing of the large-scale forests planted in upland areas....

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Sites (18 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: UNESCO sets out a formal process for State signatories to the World Heritage Convention to nominate properties for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The nomination process is initiated by the State authorities drawing up a Tentative List of what they consider to be the most important heritage sites within their national boundaries. A particular criterion is that a site must be...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Library (18 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that all of the National Cultural Institutions, including the National Library, have unavoidably suffered cuts in their allocations in recent years. This is a difficult reality that every publicly funded body has had to deal with during the economic crisis. I can assure the House that the Government has done its utmost to minimize budget cuts to the cultural...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Archives (18 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has detailed procedures in place concerning the examination and transfer of paper records that have permanent value from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to the National Archives, in accordance with the National Archives Act, 1986 and Regulations, 1988 which have been circulated to all staff members. All line divisions within my Department are required to...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Archives (18 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: I have been advised by my Department that it is not possible to identify what proportion of its records held in storage will ultimately be transferred to the National Archives. An initial examination at the beginning of each year is conducted to establish if any records are due for transfer to the National Archives by identifying the records that will be 30 years old or more on 31st December...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Facilities (17 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: The proposed sale of the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre is not a matter that comes under the statutory remit of my Department. My understanding is that is it being sold on the instructions of NAMA, a body for which I have no statutory responsibility. In any event, the level of funding that would be required to purchase the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre is not currently available to my...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Payments (17 Sep 2014)

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 the applicant would appear to have cut turf on his bog plot in a raised bog special area of conservation in 2012 and would not qualify for compensation under the scheme for that year. A...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wildlife Protection (17 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: The Wildlife Acts 1976 to 2012 prohibit 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 both farming and biodiversity. My Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Parks Projects (17 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: Killarney National Park comprises of 10,236 hectares of land, all of which are managed by my Department, through its National Parks and Wildlife Service. Current funding for my Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service is allocated on the basis of functional regions, rather than to individual properties. For 2014, €662,000 has been allocated to the South West Region, which...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, a grant of €10 million to Cork City Council was approved in 2013 to assist in the provision of a Multifunctional Events Centre in Cork City. It was decided that the grant would be channelled through my Department. It is envisaged that the Events Centre will be capable of accommodating some 6,000 persons and cater for a range of events, including concerts,...