Results 11,641-11,660 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Harbours and Piers (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I know this is an issue to which Deputies Connolly and Ó Cuív are very committed. As they are aware, I visited the pier with Deputy Ó Cuív. It has become clear that following completion of phase 2 of the pier project, the expected wave patterns and currents at the entrance to the harbour were not fully understood, requiring preparation of modelling simulations by NMCI...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Island Communities (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Government and I are committed to publishing a ten-year policy on island development with associated three-year action plans. Work on the policy is well under way and my Department has now completed the bilateral meetings with all relevant Departments. The bilateral meetings provided an opportunity for frank discussion of the issues raised by island communities and for Departments to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rural Schemes (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. Well done to the community for raising €200,000. That is no mean feat. When we open the community centre fund, the group will be able to apply. That it is getting financial support from Galway City Council will help to meet some of the costs. I do not know what the overall cost will be. The plan is that the fund initially will be for renovations more so than...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rural Schemes (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. As he says, community centres are at the heart of every community. We need places for people to meet up, to play sport and engage in all sorts of activities. The centres are important and we support them in every way we can. We have a community activities fund, under which Galway City Council was allocated €264,910. Galway County Council got €286,000....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rural Schemes (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. My Department operates a number of schemes that focus on supporting the development of remote working hubs as outlined in Our Rural Future, Rural Development Policy 2021-2025. To date, approximately €100 million has been provided by my Department through various funding streams to support the development of digital hubs and remote...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rural Schemes (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I absolutely agree with the Deputy. We have the hubs in place now. We want to make sure that we do not go back to the old ways. We want to make sure that people use them. They are in the local facilities. We have invested and built them; now it is about promoting and supporting them, and encouraging employers to allow their workers to work remotely. I was in one on Monday last in The...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rural Schemes (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Varadkar, is bringing through the legislation on remote working. We certainly have been working with his Department in developing that and will continue to co-operate in every way we can. On Monday I am going to be launching the connected hubs network, which will enable people to access this on an app on their...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rural Schemes (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. My Department currently provides a number of funding streams which can be used for the improvement and development of community centres throughout the country. The rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, provides funding for the development and construction of large-scale capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Urban Development (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The recently published “Town Centre First - A Policy Approach for Irish Towns” represents a major new policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres.  It contains 33 actions which will give our towns the tools and resources they need to become more viable and attractive places in which to live, work, socialise and run a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Urban Development (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 16 together. In December last, I announced €2.6 million in funding to deliver Town Centre First Plans in 26 towns across the country. The development of such plans is a central part of the Government’s overall Town Centre First policy which was launched earlier this month. The funding will support each local authority, working...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 23 together. As part of 'Our Rural Future', the Government is committed to ensuring that the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is funded into the future. This reflects the important contribution which the scheme makes to connectivity in rural Ireland. The LIS supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Digital Hubs (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, the Government's Rural Development Policy, clearly recognises the transformative effect that remote working can have for employers and employees all across the country.  In recognition of this, my Department continues to invest heavily in the establishment and development of remote work hub facilities through various funding streams. In May last year I launched the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Urban Development (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I was delighted to launch the Town Centre First policy earlier this month, along with my colleagues Ministers Burke and Noonan . The policy aims to create town centres that function as viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit, while also functioning as the service and social hub for the local community. It contains 33 actions which collectively will...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme aims to assist with the rejuvenation of rural towns and villages throughout Ireland, making them more attractive places to live, work and visit. Indeed, I am delighted with the interest shown in the most recent tranche of the scheme, with 191 project applications submitted from around the country. In line with the commitment in Our Rural...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland.  The Fund has, to date, allocated funding of €277 million for 191 projects across the country worth a total of €375 million. The third call for Category 2 applications to the Fund closed on...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Social Isolation (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In delivering on its mission, my Department provides a wide range of strategic interventions, funding programmes and policies to support communities, including helping to address the issue of isolation for rural dwellers, older people and people with disabilities. Addressing the issue of individual isolation in communities has become more important than ever before, due to the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Digital Hubs (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated network of remote working hubs over the lifetime of the policy to 2025. In May 2021 I launched the National Connected Hubs network together with the connectedhubs.ie...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Digital Hubs (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 344 to 346, inclusive, together. Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated network of remote working hubs over the lifetime of the policy to 2025. In May last year I launched...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme provides funding to support the revitalisation of our rural towns and villages. The 2021 Scheme was launched with an indicative budget of €15 million and places particular emphasis on addressing vacancy and dereliction, projects supporting remote working, and enhancing town centre living. I can confirm that Kerry County Council has submitted eight...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Seirbhísí Farantóireachta (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Tá dearadh agus coimisiúnú an bháid fharantóireachta nua do Oileán Thoraigh ag brath ar cíbe forbairt a dhéantar ag an chéibh ag Machaire Rabhartaigh ar an mórthír as a dhéantar freastal ar Oileán Thoraigh.  Tá dlúth nasc idir an dá thionscadal agus tá siad beirt liostáilte faoin bPlean Forbartha...