Results 5,001-5,020 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Banking (18 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: The Programme for a Partnership Government envisaged that An Post, the Irish League of Credit Unions and other interested stakeholders would be asked to investigate and propose a new model of community banking, such as the Kiwibank model in New Zealand, which could be delivered through the post office network. The Programme for Government also includes a commitment to investigate the German...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (18 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 to 197, inclusive, together. The 2017 Town and Village Renewal Scheme was launched on 13th April last, with a focus on improving the economic development of our rural towns and villages. The scheme is funded by my Department and administered through the Local Authorities. Following the assessment of all proposals received, I recently approved a total of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (17 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: My Department provides funding to the organisation in question through the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO). This scheme provides multi-annual funding to national organisations towards the core costs associated with the provision of their services. The current three year scheme commenced on 1 July 2016. Following a competitive application process, the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (17 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: The 2017 Town and Village Renewal Scheme was launched on 13 April last, with a focus on improving the economic development of our rural towns and villages. The scheme forms an important part of the Action Plan for Rural Development. When the scheme was launched, Local Authorities were given full particulars of how the scheme would operate, including the scheme outline and detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Bodies Data (17 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: Four state bodies fall under the remit of my Department, Pobal, Irish Water Safety, the Western Development Commission and the Charities Regulatory Authority. The Public Appointments Service (PAS), established under statute in 2004, provides an independent shared service for recruitment, assessment and selection of suitable candidates to organisations across the civil and public service. On...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Seniors Alert Scheme (17 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: My Department is responsible for the Seniors Alerts Scheme, which encourages support for vulnerable older people in our community through the provision of personal monitored alarms to enable them to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. Funding is available under the scheme towards the purchase by a registered community-based organisation of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dormant Accounts Fund (17 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: The legislation governing the Dormant Accounts Fund provides for the preparation of a three-year Disbursement Scheme which sets out the guiding principles for disbursements from the Fund to support programmes and projects targeting specified categories of disadvantaged people. The legislation also provides that a review should be carried out within 3 years of the first scheme taking...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dormant Accounts Fund (17 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: The Dormant Accounts Act 2001, together with the Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Act 2003 and the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Acts 2005-2012, provide a framework for the administration of unclaimed accounts in credit institutions (i.e. banks, building societies and An Post) and unclaimed life assurance policies in insurance undertakings.  The Dormant Accounts Fund is managed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dormant Accounts Fund (17 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: The programmes and projects funded through the Dormant Accounts Fund are implemented through a number of Government Departments. It is a matter for the Accounting Officers of the relevant Departments to comment on underspends which occurred on programmes or projects which came under their Departments' remit over the period 2012-2016. Statutory responsibly for the Dormant Accounts Fund,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dormant Accounts Fund (17 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: Responsibility for the Dormant Accounts Fund disbursement schemes transferred from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in May 2016.  It subsequently transferred to my Department on 27 July 2017.  While the Deputy's question relates to periods prior to the transfer of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dormant Accounts Fund (17 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: Prior to 2013, disbursements from the Dormant Accounts Fund were managed by the Dormant Accounts Disbursement Board and, subsequently, by the Dormant Account Board.  The Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Act 2012 dissolved the Dormant Accounts Board and transferred the statutory functions of the Board to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with effect...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Leader Programmes Funding (17 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: The total amount of funding provided for the LEADER Programme over the period 2014-2020 is €250 million. LEADER is a multi-annual programme and the €250 million will be drawn down over the full lifetime of the programme. The original allocation for LEADER for 2017 was €40 million, as reflected in the Vote for the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Development Programme Funding (17 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: My Department's allocation under the recently published Expenditure Report 2018 has increased by €19.3 million to €212.3 million, compared to 2017.  Additional details and information in relation to the programme allocations will be contained in the Revised Estimates Volume for Public Services 2018, which will be published in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dormant Accounts Fund (17 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: Earlier this year, I approved €1.65 million in funding under the 2016 Dormant Accounts Action Plan for 42 social enterprise projects, to enhance their capacity to deliver services and generate traded income. My Department also this year published the 2017 Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan which contains details of specific programmes and projects across Government which will be...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme Administration (12 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: On 21st September, I announced the provision of €10 million for a Local Improvement Scheme which supports improvement works on private and non-public roads.  The funding granted was based on lists of eligible roads submitted to my Department by the Local Authorities. Within the budget available for 2017, it was not possible to fully support the level of demand which...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (12 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme was launched in April 2017 to provide funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure or the necessary maintenance, enhancement or promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in Ireland.  In total, 219 projects to the value of €11.4 million were approved under the scheme, to be implemented...

Financial Resolutions 2018 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (11 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: I was delighted that the budget addressed other issues that concern rural Ireland, particularly the 9% VAT rate for the hospitality sector. I compliment the Minister for Finance on this. The rate was brilliant again this year. It is fine for people to say that hotels in Dublin are doing well. They are and we are delighted tourism is flying in Dublin. It is good that the capital city is...

Financial Resolutions 2018 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (11 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: I wish to share my time with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Michael Creed.

Financial Resolutions 2018 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (11 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: This is the first budget for the newly created Department of Rural and Community Development. I am honoured to have been asked by the Taoiseach to lead the Department. The Department's role is to facilitate the creation of jobs and infrastructure, connect people and support our communities. My remit is to deliver this through rural and community-focused programmes delivered by my...

Financial Resolutions 2018 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (11 Oct 2017)

Michael Ring: I thank the Deputy. These schemes are very helpful to rural people and rural life. A total of €35 million will be available for the Leader programme to which I have made major changes to try to get Leader companies to deliver it. Next year, €40 million will be allocated. While I have €35 million for this year, I hope later on in the year to put in a further €5...