Results 41-60 of 16,746 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reviews (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 537, 538, 539, 540 and 541 together. The introduction of a pensions auto-enrolment system is a Programme for Government commitment, and one of my key priorities. The aim of introducing an AE system is to address the pension coverage gap that exists in Ireland, and to help provide for better retirement incomes for workers. The new system - to be known as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Birth Certificates (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The information surrounding the birth of a child is provided to the Civil Registration Service through a birth notification form. The only genders that can be recorded on this form are "male", "female" or where it is not possible to medically determine the gender of the child, "indeterminate".

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Contracts (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department does not, in general, directly build or commission infrastructure projects. Rather, the Department’s capital allocations support a range of schemes that focus on the delivery of community based projects, with the relevant projects delivered by local authorities or other bodies. It is the responsibility of the delivery body to manage the contract for an infrastructure...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Emigrant Support Services (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Programme for Government contains three actions on facilitating an easier return to Ireland for emigrants. These are to:Establish talent networks to connect highly-skilled individuals abroad with opportunities in Ireland, creating a pipeline for skilled Irish emigrants to return and for foreign talent to engage with our economy;Develop a new Diaspora Strategy to ensure that the new...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Irish Language (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: All 3 of the Irish Language Networks designated under the Gaeltacht Act 2012 in Loughrea, Clondalkin and Ennis had their language plans approved in January of 2020 and are currently implementing same. Annual funding of up to €100,000 over a 7 year period is being made available to each of those Irish Language Networks to implement their plans. The Deputy should be aware that, in...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Recreation Policy (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: My department currently provides funding for 23 Rural Recreation Officers (RROs) in 22 Local Development Companies (LDCs) countrywide. The RRO assists with the delivery of my department’s Walks Scheme and supports other rural recreation initiatives at local level. Under the Walks Scheme landholders are contracted to undertake maintenance work on National Waymarked Ways and other...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Recreation Policy (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 918 and 919 together. A key action of Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors, the National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023- 2027, is the development of a County Outdoor Recreation Plan to reflect the priorities of the national strategy in each county and to ensure the development of outdoor recreation in a county in a planned manner. This will create a more...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Recreation Policy (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 920 and 921 together. My Department recognises the value of electronic trail counters in capturing visitor numbers and informing future investment in outdoor recreation. Currently, 46 counters are funded by my department alongside the delivery of the Walks Scheme. A number of counters have also been funded as elements of projects supported under the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department's CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. I understand the application referred to by the Deputy was, unfortunately, unsuccessful in the 2024 iteration of the CLÁR programme as it was not in a designated CLÁR area. The Programme for Government makes a commitment to...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) is funded by my Department under Our Rural Future. ORIS provides funding under a number of measures for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the necessary repair, enhancement or promotion of existing outdoor recreation infrastructure in countryside areas across Ireland. Such infrastructure includes for example...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. The scheme, which sees local authorities work with communities throughout the country, primarily targets funding at rural towns and villages with populations of less than 10,000 people. Since the launch of the scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department's CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. It includes funding for community facilities and amenities (measure 1) and also vehicles for community groups such as first responders, meals on wheels and those assisting people with reduced mobility or to accessing cancer care services...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Vacant Properties (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: I can confirm that my Department does not own any vacant buildings in the areas listed by the Deputy. There are eight agencies under the remit of my Department; Pobal, Western Development Commission, Charities Regulatory Authority, Water Safety Ireland, Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster-Scots Agency. I can also confirm...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Recreation Policy (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department has a 5 year strategic partnership with Coillte to enhance recreational facilities on Coillte-owned land for use by the general public and to support increased tourism and economic activity in rural areas. Under this partnership €15m is to be provided to Coillte over the 5 year period 2022 to 2026. This funding includes support for maintenance works on trails across...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) was introduced in 2016 and has to date allocated almost €184 million to over 1,800 projects nationally. It is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. The scheme is administered through local authorities who work closely with communities throughout the country, and primarily targets...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Reports (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The table below details reports commissioned by the Department, from 1 January 2024 to date in 2025, that were not commissioned with a view to publication. The reports relate to either internal management of the Department (e.g. health and safety, process reviews), or to matters intended to inform policy development or policy decisions. My Department publishes information on all...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) was introduced in 2016 and has to date allocated almost €184 million to over 1,800 projects nationally. Delivered in partnership with local authorities, it primarily targets funding at areas with populations of less than 10,000 people. The 2025 Scheme was launched in March 2025 and places particular emphasis on projects that have a renewed...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Men's Sheds (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Through the scheme to support national organisations, we do support the IMSA in its infrastructure and scaffolding so that it can distribute the funding. I have commitments and responsibilities in terms of the expenditure of money. I have to be sure the money is spent properly and appropriately and so, when we engage in multi-annual funding with any organisation, it is important for us to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Men's Sheds (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Certainty is in what we have given to date. Funding has been provided over a number of years. There is certainty through the scheme to support national organisations and that gives the backup for the infrastructure. We work very closely with the IMSA. It has just finished a consultation process with local men's sheds as to what it will be looking for grant-wise. We want that process to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: As the Deputy knows, the LEADER programme is a multi-annual funding programme. It is cofinanced by the European Commission under the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP. The current LEADER programme is operational across the country as we speak, with total funding of €180 million allocated across local action groups to cover the period 2023 to 2027. When considering LEADER...