Results 3,341-3,360 of 4,344 for speaker:Seán Canney

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tidy Towns Committees Funding (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: I want to reassure the Deputy and everybody in the House that the Minister will take on board what he said. He has had discussions already with the Department. The important point is the valuable work being done by the Tidy Towns committees, which is so relevant when we talk about our environment, climate change and keeping communities tidy. The committees do a great deal of work on a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tidy Towns Committees Funding (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: I am sorry. I hope we will see Carlow coming back up to the top of the ranks, perhaps after Galway or Mayo.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tidy Towns Committees Funding (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: I will answer the question on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Ring, because he has been answering questions all morning. The Tidy Towns competition was originally launched by Bord Fáilte more than 60 years ago. Since its inception, the competition has grown from 52 entrants in 1958 to 883 entrants in 2018. The continued success of the competition is due to the countless hours of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tidy Towns Committees Funding (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: The Deputy is quite right that it is important for communities to have the information at the start of the year or as early as possible in order that they can plan. The Minister is discussing the matter with his officials and he will make his decision as soon as possible in the coming months. While on the subject, it is important to acknowledge that SuperValu has been involved in the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Telecommunications Services Provision (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce was established in July 2016, arising from a commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to identify solutions to broadband and mobile phone coverage deficits. An Implementation Group, which I currently chair, oversees the delivery of all of the actions arising from the Taskforce’s 2016 report. The Implementation Group has...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: The Programme for a Partnership Government and the Action Plan for Rural Development both commit to progressing the Atlantic Economic Corridor initiative to create an economic area of scale along the western seaboard, from Donegal to Kerry. The initiative aims to maximise the assets of the region and to better utilise the economic hubs, clusters and catchments of the area to attract...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charities Regulation (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: The Charities Regulatory Authority was established on 16 October, 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act 2009. Responsibility for the oversight of the Regulator transferred to my Department on its establishment in July 2017. The general function of the Regulator is to regulate charitable organisations operating in Ireland, in order to increase public trust and confidence in their management...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: The Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector (SSNO) is a key element of my Department's support for the role of the sector in contributing to the development of strong and vibrant civil society and in improving outcomes for those most disadvantaged. The scheme provides multi-annual funding towards core costs of national organisations in the sector,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charities Regulation (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: The Charities Regulatory Authority was established on 16 October, 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act 2009. The general function of the Regulator is to regulate charitable organisations operating in Ireland, in order to increase public trust and confidence in their management and administration. Under the 2009 Act, the Charities Regulator is fully independent in the performance of its...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: In 2018, my Department introduced a new Digital Innovation Programme to encourage Local Authorities to use digital technologies to address issues for the benefit of local communities. A total of €700,000 was allocated to 21 projects arising from two calls for proposals under the Digital Innovation Programme in the second half of 2018. Under the Programme, €8,000 was awarded to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dormant Accounts Fund (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: The Department of Rural and Community Development was established in July 2017 and took over responsibility for the Dormant Account Fund at that time. The Comptroller and Auditor General examined the operation of the Fund as part of its 2016 work programme and published its findings in September 2017. The findings focused in particular on the administration of the fund, the low level of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Public Participation Networks (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 45 together. Since 2015, funding of up to €50,000 per annum has been allocated by my Department in respect of each Public Participation Network (PPN), provided this was supplemented by a minimum of €30,000 per annum from each local authority’s own resources. This funding is to be used for the cost of the employment of a Resource...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Voluntary Sector (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: My Department is currently in the process of developing a national strategy on volunteering in consultation with all stakeholders. A Call for Input (CFI) paper was launched in December 2018, as a first step in the development of this strategy. The CFI has been circulated to a wide range of stakeholders and is also posted on my Department's website . This paper is designed to inform...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Western Development Commission Funding (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: The Western Development Commission has achieved much since was it established in 1999.  It now has an important role to play in supporting the Government's objectives for more effective regional development through initiatives such as the National Planning Framework, the Regional Action PLans for Jobs and the Atlantic Economic Corridor (AEC) project. The Commission has been...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Ministerial Meetings (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: The Oversight and Assurance Agreement between my Department and the Charities Regulator specifies that the Minister may meet annually with the Chair and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Charities Regulator. The last such meeting took place on 21 June 2018. There is currently a vacancy at CEO level in the Regulator which is in the process of being filled by way of a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dormant Accounts Fund (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: The Department of Rural and Community Development was established in July 2017 and took over responsibility for the Dormant Account Fund at that time. The Comptroller and Auditor General examined the operation of the Fund as part of its 2016 work programme and published its findings in September 2017. The findings focused in particular on the administration of the fund, the low level of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dog Breeding Industry (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010.  The Act provides for guidelines to be put in place for the management and operation of Dog Breeding Establishments. Following a public consultation process, my Department published new Guidelines in July of last year. The revised Guidelines came into effect on 1 January this year. ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charities Regulation (23 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: The Charities Regulatory Authority was established on 16 October, 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act 2009. Responsibility for the oversight of the Regulator transferred to my Department on its establishment in July 2017. The general function of the Regulator is to regulate charitable organisations operating in Ireland, in order to increase public trust and confidence...

National Broadband Plan: Motion [Private Members] (22 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: Having listened to the debate, it is very clear how passionate Deputies are about broadband, be it in rural Ireland or elsewhere. There is a lack of broadband and we all understand that. There is a determination, shared by everyone in the House, to try to get the access to high-speed broadband for everybody. Reference was made to those people who were refused or delayed a service...

National Broadband Plan: Motion [Private Members] (22 Jan 2019)

Seán Canney: By the third quarter of 2018, 73% of premises could access high-speed broadband and the roll-out of the national broadband plan will bring this to 100%. This will help to establish Ireland as a digital world leader. In addition to the national broadband plan, the mobile phone and broadband task force has been working with key stakeholders since 2016 to alleviate some of the...