Results 4,421-4,440 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flexible Work Practices (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Dillon. As he knows, during the Covid pandemic, I was the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, then moved into the rural community space. I was absolutely committed to remote working because I could see it was going to change rural Ireland, and it did change it. We asked the Western Development Commission to roll out the connected hubs platform and it has been...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flexible Work Practices (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: There are a number of different funders. The Deputy is coming with details.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flexible Work Practices (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The right to request remote working has been integrated into the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, and under the Act allows all employees a right to request remote working. This important legislation is one of a number of steps taken by this Government to support and empower remote workers who can support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable rural communities....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flexible Work Practices (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The legislation has gone through. It is about how we can encourage people to do remote working. The best place is in remote working hubs. Employers know that. They are in a safe environment. There is good security. In these remote working hubs, there are good firewalls in place. People can have separate rooms if they need confidentiality. We will have our second ever national hub...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flexible Work Practices (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: There is about 74% occupancy in the hubs at the minute. The strategy will look at how we can strengthen the hubs and maybe how they can get further occupancy. Some of them will need money to keep them running and I want to support them in that too. We have the infrastructure. We need to make sure we maximise their use and use them as effectively as possible for the benefit of communities....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regeneration Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I will be like the Minister with the loaves and fishes but we will do our best. This town and village renewal scheme really is working well. I remember when it started in 2016, we started by fixing the footpaths but we have really moved on now. We have all that and the public realm piece sorted. Now we are looking at the buildings and at converting old buildings. For example, in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regeneration Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: If they do not get it under that scheme, there is another, which only opened last Friday, and that is the rural regeneration development fund. Deputy Murnane O'Connor that she should consider that fund for a new library because I opened a beautiful library in Castleblaney last Friday. It would do your heart good to see it because there was an old building there. There was ivy and trees...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regeneration Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I was down in Waterford with the Acting Chair too.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flexible Work Practices (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The Our Rural Future scheme recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing an integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by 2025. I am pleased that we are well on our way to meeting this commitment. There are now 330 hubs onboarded to the connectedhubs.ieplatform and this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flexible Work Practices (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: It was my idea to do this voucher scheme because we wanted to get bums on seats. We wanted to introduce people to the hubs and make them aware of them. It worked well because now we have nearly 75% occupancy in our remote working hubs. The voucher scheme was probably of its time and I want to look forward now because I want to consider sustainability into the future. I know costs are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regeneration Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The closing date for the town and village renewal scheme was only last Friday. The Deputy is not letting any grass grow under his feet; he is in there already. My Department has received an application from the Order of Malta in Mayo for, I understand, around €475,000 to restore and renovate the order's headquarters in Castlebar. Obviously, those applications will have to be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy is right that this year I allocated over €30 million. That is treble the funding that was available for the LIS a couple of years ago. Any time I find savings in my Department, the first place they go is into the LIS. That goes to show my commitment to the scheme. The Deputy knows himself that this scheme was previously funded by the Department of Transport, which has a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I take every opportunity to put any extra resources I have in my Department into the local improvement scheme, and I will tell the House why. When I was growing up I lived on a lane that was one mile long and full of potholes. There was some scheme at that stage as well and eventually the lane got repaired, but I know what it is like. When you are on a bicycle trying to avoid potholes, it...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I was glad to visit there. What happened to the people of Carlingford was terrible. In fairness, my Department of Social Protection really stepped up to the plate and helped them in any way we could. That is what this Government is here to do. We are here to help people when they need help and we will continue to do that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regeneration Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 37 together. Our Rural Future sets out the Government's vision for the future of rural Ireland, which recognises the vital role that vibrant and thriving rural towns and villages have to play. With this in mind, I have put in place a range of capital investment schemes as part of my Department's rural development investment programme which rural...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Library Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Cork City Council submitted an application for the libraries capital programme funding for the extension and refurbishment of the Frank O'Connor Library in Mayfield. This project is a joint development with St. Joseph's Community Centre. It is a priority project for the council. The project is being progressed through my Department's four-stage capital management process. This ensures...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 12 together. As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring the LIS is funded into the future. This reflects the important contribution the scheme makes to connectivity in rural areas. LIS was reintroduced by my Department in 2017 following several years with no dedicated funding. Since then, almost €130 million has...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: It is 3,500.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Library Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. There are 330 public libraries providing an excellent service throughout the country. On the provision of new libraries, my Department has provided significant capital funding to support local authorities, with funding of €29 million provided under the previous libraries capital programme for the period 2016 to 2022 for 17 projects, of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: That is outrageous-----