Results 13,121-13,140 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The Deputy will be aware that, last week, the renewed National Development Plan 2021-2030 was launched. It is the largest NDP in the history of the State, amounting to €165 billion, with a focus on funding solutions to strengthen housing, climate ambitions, transport, healthcare, jobs growth in every region and economic renewal for the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The NDP will see significant increases in our funding programmes over the coming years. Those allocations are for each year. It is new money every year; it is additional money. We want to spend it in 2021 and I want to try to get as much of it out as possible. That is why I am putting a great deal of pressure on local authorities and project promoters to get their projects delivered and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I will read this answer for the Deputy but his assumption is wrong. The LIS supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities and represents a vital piece of infrastructure for rural communities. The funding can be a lifeline for such communities, directly improving access to family farms and supporting economic activity. Over...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Budgets (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The revised estimate for my Department for 2021 provides for a gross allocation of €351 million, with a gross capital allocation of €168.6 million. In addition, €13.18 million of unspent capital funding has been carried forward from 2020 giving a total capital allocation of €181.8 million for 2021. As of 11thOctober 2021 the total capital spend amounted to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Road Projects (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (or LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. It makes an important contribution to connectivity in rural Ireland.  Cork County Council has secured over €6 million in funding since the Scheme was re-established in 2017.  I launched the 2021 Scheme in May with...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER programme is one of the key interventions implemented by my Department in delivering on the Government's vision for rural Ireland as set out in Our Rural Future.   In December 2020, I allocated an initial €20 million to the Transitional LEADER Programme to support locally-led rural development in  2021. In addition, in April 2021 I announced details...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Flexible Work Practices (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The recent shift to remote working provides a unique opportunity for the revitalisation of our rural towns and villages through remote working. My Department operates a number of funding schemes that focus on supporting remote working  as outlined in Our Rural Future, the Government's Rural Development Policy for the period from 2021 to 2025. The Rural Regeneration and Development...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Harbours and Piers (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, Galway County Council are the body responsible for development of stage three of the Caladh Mór pier development on Inis Meáin.  Officials from my Department have been in ongoing contact with the relevant officials in the  County Council to progress this development.   As part of the preparatory works, the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 21 together. The €7 million Streetscape Enhancement Initiative, which is a commitment in Our Rural Future, is designed to make around 120 of our rural towns and villages more attractive and welcoming places for locals and visitors alike. Property owners are being part funded to improve the facades of buildings, carry out artwork, and install...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Flexible Work Practices (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 49, 57, 58 and 70 together. Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, recognises the opportunity which remote working presents and also the potential of remote working hubs as key economic assets for our rural towns and villages. My Department operates a number of funding schemes that focus on projects supporting remote...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department operates a number of schemes providing small-scale financial supports and grants to community groups and organisations, including the Community Enhancement Programme and CLÁR Programme. The application processes are reviewed before each call for applications to ensure they are user friendly and fit for purpose. Following a review of the criteria for the CLÁR...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is one of a number of measures that supports the revitalisation of Ireland's rural towns and villages. The scheme is administered through the Local Authorities. This year, in line with Our Rural Future, a key focus of the scheme is to renovate derelict and vacant buildings in our town centres to bring them back into use as multipurpose spaces, remote...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: National Broadband Plan (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 34 and 76 together. Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are among the first premises for delivery under the National Broadband Plan. They are publicly accessible sites that serve areas without reliable high-speed broadband, including isolated communities in rural areas and on many of our offshore islands. Sites are provided with a high-speed broadband...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Policy (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Walks Scheme, which is funded by my Department, contracts landholders to undertake maintenance work on National Waymarked Ways and other priority trails that traverse their lands. The landholders receive modest payments for maintenance work undertaken in line with agreed work plans. In March 2019, my Department invited Expression of Interests (EOIs) for qualifying trails to be added to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Services (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department funds a Libraries Capital Programme that is investing a total of €29m in 17 projects, as well as the My Open Library service and a Small Scale Capital Works programme, over the period between 2016 and 2022. This programme was developed on the basis of priority proposals submitted by local authorities. Limerick City Library was submitted as a priority by Limerick City and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Policy (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 80 together. My Department's Mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant , inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. In delivering on that Mission my Department has a range of policies and programme interventions delivered throughout the country. In relation specifically to public greenspace, public...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Telecommunications Infrastructure (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30, 35 and 36 together. On foot of the initial scoping work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce, 40 actions were identified and assigned to the Taskforce’s Implementation Group to pursue. Over the course of the 2016-2019 work programme, the Taskforce delivered more than 70 targeted actions. Among these were the addition of more than 1,000km...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

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. Calls for applications to the Fund are sought under two categories – Category 1 and Category 2. Category 1 relates to large scale ambitious capital projects with all necessary planning and other consents in place...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: A pilot scheme on supporting Town Centre Living, funded by my Department, sought to explore how to encourage increased residential occupancy in rural towns and villages and how to address the issue of vacant properties An independent report on the pilot, published last year, highlighted the value of developing a shared vision or masterplan for individual towns. This was as part of the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER programme is a key intervention implemented by my Department which will help to underpin the Government's rural development goals as outlined in Our Rural Future. The programme is co-funded by the EU under Pillar II the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is Ireland's Managing Authority for the CAP and thus has lead...