Results 1,121-1,140 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My Department's CLÁR scheme is a targeted investment programme that provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. This scheme has gone from strength to strength in recent years. Under the 2023 scheme I approved over €13 million for 303 projects. The areas originally selected for inclusion in the programme in 2001 were those which suffered the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: LEADER is a rural development programme co-funded by the EU that operates a locally-led, bottom-up approach to meeting the needs of local communities and businesses. The programme supports private enterprises and community groups in rural areas. From 2007 to 2020 the LEADER programme was included in the suite of measures that constituted Ireland’s Rural Development Programme. The Rural...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2048 and 2049 together. My Department operates a large number of schemes aimed at supporting both rural development and community development. In order to empower local responses to local needs, the majority of schemes operated by my Department are administered in partnership with the Local Authorities, Pobal, or the Local Development Companies. The main rural...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. It supports a broad range of activities which aim to respond to the diversity of the local needs of our rural areas and is delivered at local level by Local Action Groups (LAGs)....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Under the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund, over €45.8 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment works on over 860 existing community centres across Ireland. In April, I approved funding of €30 million for the construction of 12 new community centres across nine counties. In June this year, I was delighted to announce a further €20 million in funding...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports improving rural roads and laneways not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded in the future. While my Department provides funding for the Scheme, local authorities administer the scheme and are solely responsible for selecting and prioritising road...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Projects (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The provision of library services, including the provision of library buildings, is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001. Accordingly, the delivery of the new public library for Finglas village, which opened in December 2023, was primarily a matter for Dublin City Council. My Department previously supported...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Under the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund, over €45.8 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment works on over 860 existing community centres across Ireland. In April, I approved funding of €30 million for the construction of 12 new community centres across nine counties. In June this year, I was delighted to announce a further €20 million in funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Under the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund, over €45.8 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment works on over 860 existing community centres across Ireland. In April, I approved funding of €30 million for the construction of 12 new community centres across nine counties. In June this year, I was delighted to announce a further €20 million in funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I recently announced a ban on XL Bully dogs in the interest of public safety following a number of recent horrific attacks. The ban will be implemented in the following 2 stages. From October 1st 2024, new regulations will prohibit the importing, breeding, selling and re-homing of XL Bully dogs. From February 1st 2025, it will be illegal to own an XL Bully without a ‘Certificate of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I recently announced a ban on XL Bully dogs in the interest of public safety following a number of recent horrific attacks. The ban will be implemented in the following 2 stages. From October 1st 2024, new regulations will prohibit the importing, breeding, selling and re-homing of XL Bully dogs. From February 1st 2025, it will be illegal to own an XL Bully without a ‘Certificate of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: A key focus of Our Rural Future (2021-2025) is to optimise digital connectivity to support vibrant, sustainable rural communities. My Department, together with the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment, is leading on the formulation of a first National Hub Network Strategy, in consultation with hub managers, local authorities, communities and other hub sector stakeholders. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Under the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund, over €45.8 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment works on over 860 existing community centres across Ireland. In county Cavan, 24 community centres received funding of over €1.3 million. In county Monaghan, 39 community centres received funding of over €1.4 million. The details requested in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Discussions are ongoing in relation to the proposed transfer of the Local Authority Veterinary Service and certain functions to the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM). My Department and the Department of Agriculture are in contact regarding the possible impact this may have on my Departments Dog Control responsibilities including any potential impact on any functions in the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I recently announced a ban on XL Bully dogs in the interest of public safety following a number of recent horrific attacks. Subsequently, an Implementation Team for the XL Bully regulations was established by the chair of the Dog Control Stakeholder Group, retired Deputy Garda Commissioner Mr. John Twomey, to support the development of the regulations. Local authority interests are...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: In March 2024, I announced the establishment of a high level stakeholder group to consider and make recommendations to strengthen policy in relation to dog control issues. The group is independently chaired by retired Deputy Garda Commissioner Mr. John Twomey and is comprised of members with a broad range of expertise. Local Authority interests are represented on the group through the City...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: It should be noted that while my Department has overall policy responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2014, Local Authorities have responsibility for all operational matters under the Control of Dogs Acts. Under the Control of Dogs Acts, local authorities have the power to issue dog licenses, appoint dog wardens, provide dog shelters, seize dogs, impose on-the-spot fines and take...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Discussions are ongoing in relation to the proposed transfer of Local Authority Veterinary Service and certain functions to the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM). My Department and the Department of Agriculture are in contact regarding the possible impact this may have on my Departments Dog Control responsibilities particularly as it relates to Dog Breeding Establishments....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I recently announced a ban on XL Bully dogs in the interest of public safety following a number of recent horrific attacks. The ban will be implemented in the following 2 stages. From October 1st 2024, new regulations will prohibit the importing, breeding, selling and re-homing of XL Bully dogs. From February 1st 2025, it will be illegal to own an XL Bully without a ‘Certificate of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Disability Services (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I have responded separately to the Deputy's Parliamentary Question as regards the supports provided for people with disabilities through the Department of Social Protection. In terms of the Department of Rural & Community Development, I would add that the CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated...