Results 8,721-8,740 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 125 together. My Department has not deliberated on introducing the community wealth-building systems approach to economic development, and has not engaged with any county councils in relation to developing a model of community-wealth building. My Department is progressing a number of national policies that provide, for both urban and rural areas...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Broadband Infrastructure (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce was re-established in December 2021 with an inaugural meeting co-chaired by myself and Minister of State Ossian Smyth TD, involving participation from all key State stakeholders. In April 2022 we held a full meeting of the Taskforce with both State and Industry representatives. After this meeting the Terms of Reference and Work Programme for 2022-2023...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Policies (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future is the most ambitious and transformational policy for rural development in Ireland for decades. The policy contains more than 150 measures for delivery across the whole of Government, with the underlying theme of economic, environmental and societal sustainability. The policy has a vision of ensuring vibrant and thriving rural towns and villages, with a key objective...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Harbours and Piers (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 108 together. As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the maintenance and development of pier infrastructure on Inis Meáin lies with Galway County Council. Galway County Council is responsible for the development of stage 3 of Caladh Mór Pier on Inis Meáin, which is included in the National Development Plan. Officials from my...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy was launched in early 2021. The policy recognises that high quality digital connectivity offers an unprecedented opportunity to transform rural Ireland as well as the potential of remote working hubs to act as key economic assets for Ireland's towns and villages. Initial access to broadband for many of our most remote rural...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government is committed to publishing a 10 year policy on island development with associated three year action plans. Indeed the Programme for Government includes a commitment in this regard and, as Minister with responsibility for the islands, I am determined to ensure the policy is delivered. The Government’s ambition for a national policy and action...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: LEADER is a key programme within Our Rural Future, and I am very happy to confirm that the Expression of Interest stage to select the Groups to deliver the next LEADER programme is now open. The allocations for each LEADER area have also been announced as part of this process. The procedure to select the LEADER groups will be open, transparent and competitive. Central to the formation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR Programme provides funding for small-scale projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. Since the programme was relaunched in 2016, it has supported a wide range of measures. A review of CLÁR areas nationally was undertaken in 2021 using the 2016 Census of Population data. The review examined the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) is one of a series of national and local support measures designed to rejuvenate small rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. The Scheme is funded under Project Ireland 2040 as part of Our Rural Future. Since the launch of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme in 2016, over €113 million has been allocated to more than 1,400 projects across...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development launched last year, which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. €250m has been made available for LEADER for the period 2021 to 2027. This is comprised of €70 million for the transitional period 2021 to 2022...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development for the period 2021-2025, which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. €250m has been made available for LEADER for the period 2021 to 2027. This is comprised of €70 million for the transitional period 2021 to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Public Transport (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future is the government's national rural development policy. It sets out an ambitious blueprint for the development of, and investment in, rural Ireland over a five-year period. It is a whole-of-Government policy, and the more than 160 measures set out within it are being delivered by the Departments with responsibility for the relevant policy areas, including the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Derelict Sites (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department implements a number of schemes which can address the issue raised by the Deputy. The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is one of a series of national and local support measures designed to rejuvenate small rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. The Scheme is funded under Project Ireland 2040 as part of Our Rural Future. The 2022 Scheme placed particular emphasis on projects...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. The programme was re-launched in 2016 following a number of years when the scheme was closed to new applications. Measures to be included in the CLÁR programme are reviewed and revised each year, as appropriate. CLÁR has made significant...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Policies (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The issue of isolation in rural and urban communities cuts across the work of a number of Departments. The need to address isolation in communities was highlighted more than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. My Department provides funding to tackle isolation and support those in our communities in most need of assistance through schemes such as the Social Inclusion and Community Activation...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Official Engagements (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Ireland was proud to host the 13th OECD Rural Development Conference in Cavan from 28-30 September of this year. It was the first time this prestigious event has taken place in Ireland, and brought together approximately 400 policymakers, practitioners and rural stakeholders from across the OECD member states. The Conference featured a series of wide-ranging discussions to identify...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the maintenance and development of the infrastructure on the islands referred to lies primarily with the relevant Local Authority and/or relevant utility companies. The Government's objective is that sustainable, vibrant communities can continue to live on all our inhabited offshore islands. My Department recognises that for this to be...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Road Projects (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. Rural connectivity is an important element in Our Rural Future.Such roads represent a vital piece of infrastructure for rural residents - providing access to people’s homes and farms, as well as outdoor amenities such as lakes, rivers or...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

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. Key to this, is the establishment of the National Implementation Office to assist in the delivery and implementation of the policy, and to co-ordinate stakeholder engagement at a national level. It is also responsible for coordinating the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Policy (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as trails, walkways, cycleways, blueways and bridleways in rural areas. Earlier this year, I launched the 2022 Scheme with a budget of €15 million to support outdoor recreation projects nationwide. The Measures being funded under this...