Results 5,521-5,540 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: It should be noted that Kerry had an LIS underspend in 2022, which represented almost 10% of the total allocation. The local authority did not spend €145,000. That is not the Deputy's fault. That is not my fault.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy might have a word with them because I would be doing the same in my county - have a word with them - if they did not spend it. It is like this. I will do what I can. In addition, as the Deputy will be aware, I am not the Department of roads but, as I said, we try to support this work. If there is any money that is unspent in any other Department, I am happy to take it and put it...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Island Communities (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I was delighted to publish Our Living Islands, the national islands policy last week. The commitments in the policy will be delivered progressively over its lifetime and implementation will be underpinned b three-year action plans, the first of which I also published last week alongside the policy. A whole-of-government approach has been taken in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Policies (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I am delighted to confirm to the Deputy that I launched Our Living Islands, which is an ambitious ten-year policy designed to support vibrant and sustainable island communities. I launched the policy on Árainn Mhór off the coast of County Donegal on Wednesday, 7 June. I had the Irish version of the policy in my hand when I launched it. That was important. I fully understand that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Policies (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I know the Deputy has an interest in this issue because she has raised it with me on many occasions. I am pleased to say the policy has now been published. It is a good policy. I met the islanders' representative groups from across the different islands and I must say that on the day, they welcomed the policy, which contains a number of initiatives. I want to see quality remote working...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Policies (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I will go back to the issue of the Irish language copy of the document. We had hard copies as Gaeilge on the island on the day. They were translated. I had them in my hand, both copies of the action plan and the policy document. It went up later online, but they were definitely there on the day - in fact, that morning. We have a monitoring committee here. I only launched the strategy...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Vacant Sites (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The building acquisition measure was a new idea that was introduced last year as part of Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, which is our five-year policy for rural Ireland. It has proven very popular. There has been great feedback from the local authorities and communities on its success. The Deputy mentioned the Central Hotel in Mallow. This is the sort of thing we...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Vacant Sites (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I encourage the Deputy to speak to the local authority. As I said, there were many cases where prominent buildings in local towns and villages were identified. In the Deputy's own country, for example, the FCA hall in Mitchelstown was acquired and is being turned into a space for community use. Some people use it as maybe a home for the men's shed or women's shed. This is very much a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Vacant Sites (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The town and village renewal scheme was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. In 2022, the scheme prioritised projects that bring vacant and derelict buildings back into use and promote residential occupancy in town centres. In recognition of the urgent need to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Policy (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors, the new National Outdoor Recreation Strategy, is set to shape the future of outdoor recreation over the next five years. The Strategy will ensure that there is a joined up and coordinated approach to deliver maximum impact from the significant investment in the sector and to build on the natural advantages in place. Outdoor recreation activities have...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Diversifying island economies is one of the five high-level Strategic Objectives set out inOur Living Islands - the Government's ambitious new 10 year national policy for the islands - which I published last week. Connectivity is vital for islands and the delivery of high speed broadband and supporting remote working infrastructure are key to delivering this. Our Living Islandsaligns with the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, Galway County Council is the responsible authority for the maintenance and development of pier infrastructure on the Aran Islands, including Inis Meáin. A steering committee consisting of representatives from my Department and Galway County Council meets regularly to monitor progress on the development of the piers on the Aran Islands including phase three of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regional Development (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Futureclearly recognises the economic potential of our rural regions, towns and villages and prioritises the objective of achieving balanced regional and rural development. Within this context, the Western Development Commission (the WDC), aims to foster and promote economic and social development in the Western Region. Operating under the ageis of my Department, the WDC implements...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Town Centre First Policy is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. My Department co-chairs the National Oversight and Advisory Group for the policy with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This Group seeks to oversee the delivery of the policy and ensures there is clear...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Last November, I was delighted to launch the 2022 Community Support Fund (CSF) under the Community Enhancement Programme, with funding of €10 million to assist local community and voluntary groups across the country with a multitude of costs including energy and utility bills, other operating costs, minor upgrade works and small capital purchases. The CSF funding is administered on...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Our Living Islands,which I launched last week, is an ambitious new ten year national policy designed to support vibrant and sustainable island communities. Good transport services and a developed infrastructure are recognised in the policy as important prerequisites for maintaining island populations. My Department’s aim is to seek to meet these requirements through current and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded into the future. The Scheme was reintroduced by my Department in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding. Since 2017, my Department has allocated...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Policy (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme is funded by my Department under Our Rural Future. The Scheme provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor infrastructure such as trails, walkways, cycleways, blueways and bridleways throughout rural Ireland. The Scheme is central to Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors, the new National Outdoor Recreation Strategy, which is set...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR programme which was originally launched in 2001, provides funding for small scale projects in rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population. Previously the programme provided funding to support micro enterprises to convert from single phase to three phase electricity. However, while the 2023 CLÁR programme is currently in progress, support for this...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Undefined (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Transport is the principal department with responsibility for Active Travel and the Active Travel Grants Programme is managed by the National Transport Authority. While I have no responsibility towards the Active Travel budget, officials from my Department have liaised with the Active Travel section of the National Transport Authority (NTA). The purpose of these discussions...