Results 12,381-12,400 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Defibrillators Provision (8 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department does not operate a dedicated fund for the purchase, maintenance, repair or service of defibrillators and there are currently no plans to introduce a specific current fund dedicated to this purpose. However, some of my Department's programmes fund the purchase of capital equipment such as through the Community Enhancement Programme (CEP). This programme provides small grants...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (8 Dec 2021)

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. From 2007 to 2020, LEADER was included in the suite of measures that constituted Ireland’s Rural Development Programme (RDP). The Rural Development Programmes agreed by each Member State with the EU Commission were...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (8 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different Measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. The project referred to by the Deputy was approved under CLÁR 2019 for €20,000. A claim for payment in respect of this project was been received by my...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Island Communities (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I agree with the Deputy. I can imagine how they must feel isolated. It is fine in the summer months when everyone wants to visit the islands but it is different in the winter months. When there is an evening like this, it must be very challenging. I have been on a number of islands, for example, Clare Island. I apologise, as I should have said I visited Árainn Mhór, not Inis...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Island Communities (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I wish to work with the Deputies present, members of the committee and those Deputies with a particular interest in this matter. Living beside the islands, they have a much greater knowledge of them than I do, but I am committed to working with everyone.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Harbours and Piers (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As she will be aware, Galway County Council is the body responsible for development of stage 3 of the Caladh Mór pier development on Inis Meáin. Users of the pier, including a number of State-subsidised ferry operators, have highlighted issues with capacity within the harbour, as well as with currents around the mouth of the harbour. As...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Harbours and Piers (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I visited Inis Meáin during the summer and spoke to a number of the islanders. As the Deputy and I well know, sorting out a pier presents different challenges and everybody seems to have a different solution. The college has done the simulation and it is going back now to look at a number of other things that arose during those simulations. The parties have reviewed this and there is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Harbours and Piers (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As I understand it, the National Maritime College of Ireland is developing a model simulation of the harbour on Inis Meáin and that will inform the business case options for the development. The business case will then be undertaken by Galway County Council, in consultation with the Department and in line with the public spending code and available funding. I was out there on the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Island Communities (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75, 89 and 101 together. However, as Deputy Ó Cathasaigh appears to be the only one here I will focus on his question. As set out in Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to publishing a ten-year policy on island development, with associated plans. It had been initially envisaged that the new policy would be published in 2021. However,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Bodies (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: On the broadband task force, the broadband officers will be the one point of contact for the providers in the area. They can direct them to who they need to because they will know the story. They should know the story in the local authorities and, I have to say, they have been very good at doing that. The new actions the task force will look at when it convenes for its first meeting on 15...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Bodies (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Officials from my Department have been working closely with colleagues in the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in recent months to finalise arrangements for the reconvening of the mobile phone and broadband task force. The previous task force was very successful in delivering on a wide range of important actions and I am...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Bodies (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In fairness, the one thing I can say about the national broadband plan is that the boots are on the ground. I see the vans around the place and I say "keep going" because we want to get it rolled out as quickly as we can. I am sure the Deputy is aware of the broadband officers in the local authorities, who have done a fantastic job. They were appointed in 2016 and have worked with the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flexible Work Practices (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: On large-scale building need, under the connected hubs fund we have been able to support some private operators to kit out such facilities to accommodate remote working. It is important that we look at this from the different approaches. Many local authorities have made applications for funding under the town and village renewal scheme and the rural regeneration and development fund for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flexible Work Practices (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: We have funded enterprise centres throughout the country as well. For some parts, there may be an research and development element. It is a matter for particular areas as to whether they want to go down that road. The regional enterprise development fund has supported a number of centres that could facilitate research and development. There is another area we can capitalise on, namely,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Digital Hubs (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: There are incentives we are considering to attract remote workers to relocate to rural Ireland. Budget 2022 provides my Department with a funding allocation of €376 million, an increase of €35 million, or 10% on budget 2021, in recognition of the critical role my Department plays in delivering on Our Rural Future. We are considering a number of options, including the use of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Digital Hubs (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Funding has been provided for town regeneration officers and they will be appointed in due course. They will work with the different stakeholders to have a clear plan on where towns want to go. They will consult with local communities and work with the people in the town. There are many different funding streams so we need joined-up thinking as to what the overall plan is. The town...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flexible Work Practices (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this. Our Rural Future: 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 I launched the national connected hubs network, together with the connected hubs...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Digital Hubs (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputies for raising this matter and I propose to take Questions Nos. 52, 63 and 78 together. My Department continues to support the development of remote working hubs throughout the country. Our Rural Future commits to investing significantly in remote working facilities and to examining the potential to introduce specific incentives to encourage remote workers to relocate to...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Telecommunications Infrastructure (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I will outline the specific actions that will be discussed and agreed with members before we publish our work programme for the task force for 2022 to 2024. The following broad areas are within the scope of discussion: permits, consents and planning permission, mapping and register of assets, geographic mobile coverage, consumer information and innovation, and proof of concept projects. ...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Programmes (7 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. As she will be aware, the LEADER programme is one of the key interventions of Our Rural Future, the Government’s policy for rural development launched earlier this year. An indicative budget of €180 million was recently announced for the LEADER programme for the period 2023 to 2027. When taken together with the €70 million...