Results 3,541-3,560 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (12 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: In 2017, my Department awarded a capital grant of €300,000 under the Arts and Culture Capital Scheme 2016-2018 to the centre referred to by the Deputy .  As is the case with all capital grants from my Department, the payment of the grant is managed under a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the project promoter.  The SLA sets out the conditions...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Freedom of Information Data (12 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: My Department publishes logs of all non-personal FOI requests on a quarterly basis in accordance with the Department’s FOI Publication Scheme, prepared under section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014.  The most recent update was published on 7th November 2019. Each published log contains the following information: - The reference number assigned to the request by the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Performing Arts (12 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: I have not met with the group referred to by the Deputy.  Ongoing correspondence has however been exchanged with my Department both from and on behalf of the group. I recently announced a new capital investment scheme for arts and culture centres across the country with funding of €4.7m available for allocation.  Applications are now being...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Strategies (12 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: My Department is responsible for co-ordinating the implementation of the National Peatlands Strategy, which I believe is one of the most advanced in Europe. This 10 year strategy sets out a cross-governmental approach to managing issues that relate to peatlands, including compliance with EU environmental law, climate change, forestry, flood control, energy, nature conservation,...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Advertising Campaigns (12 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government launched the ‘Be Winter-Ready’ 2019 -2020 Information Campaign focusing this year on the different colour codings associated with Met Éireann weather warnings on Wednesday 6th November. The ‘Be Winter-Ready’ campaign informs the public of what is being done in relation to winter preparations and where they can...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Special Areas of Conservation (12 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: Significant efforts have been made by the State to resolve the issue of the protection of Ireland’s raised bog special areas of conservation within the framework of the EU Habitats Directive. This has included the establishment of the Peatlands Council, intensive and on-going engagement with turf cutting interests, the farming community, non-governmental organisations and with the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Staff Data (12 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following table. Organisation Number of additional staff appointed in 2019 Estimated annualised payroll cost of additional staff appointed in 2019 €million Department of Culture Heritage and the Gaeltacht 33 1.22 Arts Council 5 ...

Report on the Arts: Motion (7 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: It is important to note that figure included €6 million of capital funding, whereas the funding figure for the Arts Council for 2020 does not. There is a distinction to be drawn in that regard. One must bear in mind the €1.2 billion in capital investment. I acknowledge Deputy Ó Snodaigh's comments regarding the doubling of arts funding. The Taoiseach made that...

Report on the Arts: Motion (7 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: I will try to deal with some of the contributions of Deputies. I appreciate the comments they have made. I am delighted to inform Deputy Smyth that the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, through Creative Ireland and the Department's Gaeltacht division, is supporting Ealaíon na Gaeltachta and the Irish-language arts policy. That kicked off last week with advertisements...

Report on the Arts: Motion (7 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: I welcome the opportunity to speak to the motion and I thank Deputy Niamh Smyth for introducing it. We are all in agreement that arts and culture are of the utmost importance in the life and well-being of our country. I share the objectives of the Oireachtas joint committee to develop the arts and cultural sectors. Arts can be a great driver of social change and they confer great benefits...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Hedge Cutting Season (7 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976, as amended, prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August. There is provision in the section for some strict exemptions from the prohibition during the closed period, for example, for works undertaken in the ordinary course or agriculture or forestry, for health and...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wildlife Protection (7 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) was developed under the UN Convention on Migratory Species. Ireland signed up to the Agreement in 2003. The agreement includes a commitment that “Parties shall endeavour to phase out the use of lead shot for hunting in wetlands as soon as possible in accordance with self-imposed and published...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (7 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: I refer the Deputy to the response that I gave on 5th November 2019 to his previous parliamentary question concerning plans to mark the 1,500th anniversary of the birth of St Colmcille (PQ44379/19). I am aware of the 1,500th anniversary of the birth of St. Colmcille in December 2020. My officials have had initial discussions with Foras na Gaeilge to explore how this anniversary might be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artists' Remuneration (6 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: I remind both Deputies of the Arts Council's press release on the budget. Deputy Boyd Barrett said the increase was a miserable one. The Arts Council stated that it welcomes the increase of €5 million. The Taoiseach has committed to doubling funding for the arts by 2025. We still intend to do that and we are on a trajectory to achieve it but we are all aware that this was not a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artists' Remuneration (6 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: I did not say the Arts Council was happy with the increase but rather that it welcomed it-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artists' Remuneration (6 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: -----under the difficult circumstances of this budget. On the report that was cited, it should be noted that the category in question is much wider than just the arts sector. It also includes gambling and betting activities, as well as sports, amusements and recreation. I commend Deputy Boyd Barrett for creating a policy initiative in the first instance because the Labour Party and Deputy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artists' Remuneration (6 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: I did not interrupt Deputy Burton.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artists' Remuneration (6 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: I will answer the Deputy's questions on the national minimum wage. Thus far, the Low Pay Commission's recommendations have been accepted by the Government, with the result that the national minimum wage increased from €8.65 to €9.90 per hour between January 2016 and January 2019. The legislation relating to the setting of the national minimum wage has been in place since 2000....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Heritage Promotion (6 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy. Regarding bog rehabilitation and restoration, I will be working closely with Deputy Bruton on the issue of the Bord na Móna workers. Some 100 jobs will be created. This issue has prompted the biggest increase in funding that the heritage side of my Department has had for many years, an increase of 15.5%. Some €5 million of that will come from the carbon...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Heritage Promotion (6 Nov 2019)

Josepha Madigan: I am delighted to hear about the blueway. It is really important to the constituency Deputy Heydon represents. Jobs will be created in the detailed design and construction stages. As the Deputy says, increased tourism will bring economic benefits to the area through direct and indirect visitor spending. That is the bottom line. Apart from the monetary benefits, there will also be...