Results 15,061-15,080 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Further Revised) (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I will comment on the process for selecting those schools. We increased the budget considerably because the pilot scheme involved 37 schools. This year we brought the number up to 189. Those schools were picked on a random basis by the computer. There is one situation in particular where there are four schools in one campus. Three are getting the hot school meals and one is not. Those...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Further Revised) (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am very conscious that we need to support young people and that is why we have all these programmes, including the EmployAbility service, that target young people who have difficulties getting back into the workplace. I met representatives of EmployAbility on Monday and they explained to me how when young people come in to the service, they are placed with an employer and sometimes there...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Further Revised) (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Across Government we evaluate all these issues and examine the impact, and of course there will be a review of Covid, the impact it had on society and the issues on which we need to focus post Covid. On the role of the Department regarding equality budgeting, we introduced equality budgeting on a pilot basis in 2017 as part of a commitment in the programme for Government in 2016 to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank both Deputies for raising this. I am very familiar with local improvement schemes and I understand the issues the Deputies have raised regarding funding. I will outline a little of the history of the LIS. It was originally a Department of Transport scheme. In fairness to my predecessor, Deputy Ring, he recognised there was a clear need for the scheme and he reintroduced it under...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future is the new rural development policy covering the period 2021 to 2025 and, as I said earlier, is the most ambitious and transformational policy for rural development in Ireland for decades. It recognises that rural areas play an integral role in the economic, social and cultural well-being of the country and sets out a vision for vibrant and thriving rural towns, villages and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department will begin the process of developing a rural proofing model this year. It will also engage with colleagues across the Government, with the higher education network that is being established this year under another commitment in Our Rural Future and with other rural development experts as part of the scoping process. This process will also involve engagement internationally,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: To be fair, there has been unprecedented investment in rural Ireland. One need only look at the rural regional development fund, category 1 call, and the successful candidates. That amounted to €81 million. This is since the rural development policy was launched. There was €81 million for that, €15 million for outdoor recreation to support 126 new projects and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Island Communities (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The process was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the related restrictions. Topics proper to a wide range of Departments have been raised. Officials are now discussing these with the relevant parties. This will inform the policy and the action plans. As the Deputy is aware, an extensive consultation process was undertaken and there was a high level of engagement by the communities....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Island Communities (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The draft plan will be drawn up. We have done extensive consultation as part of the work. I have not seen the findings yet. A lot of work has been put into it. We have consulted with many Departments. I look forward to seeing the policy document as soon as possible. On the issues raised by Deputy McHugh, I take on board his point. I have been to two islands. I have visited Clare...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The local improvement scheme, LIS, is a programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in rural areas which are not under the normal maintenance of the local authorities. The scheme is funded by my Department and is administered through the local authorities. I launched the 2021 LIS on Friday, 14 May. I was also pleased to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I must say, the Department is willing to be flexible in this situation. If both councils come together and come to an agreement on how the areas impacted by the boundary change can be covered, we are happy to work with them. I recommend that they take that course of action. There will be no net increase in the funding allocation to Cork, but the Department is happy to accommodate a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. My Department provides a range of supports and programmes to address economic and social imbalances and bring positive impacts to people's lives in urban and rural areas. Our Rural Future, the Government's rural development policy for the period from 2021 to 2025, articulates an ambitious vision for rural areas, recognising their integral role in a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy's point is absolutely right. We are all social animals and we need to meet people. That is why investing in co-working spaces and remote working hubs is the way forward. There has been huge investment in towns and villages throughout the country to create these facilities. However, we have also managed to incorporate the revitalisation and regeneration of old and run-down...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, the agency with responsibility for many of these companies is either IDA Ireland or Enterprise Ireland. IDA Ireland is engaging with companies that have already invested here, as well as with companies thinking of coming here, and it has certainly highlighted benefits of investing in the regions. In addition, we have always heard there is a need for a well-trained...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Island Communities (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 43 together. Question No. 43 is from the Leas-Cheann Comhairle herself, and I am taking it along with this question from Deputy Kerrane because I know she has a particular interest in the islands as well. The development of a new islands policy is one of the key elements of Our Rural Future, the Government's new rural development policy. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Digital Hubs (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy said, there are remote working hubs on the islands. When I launch the network on Monday I will outline all the details of the hubs that have joined it. We wanted to do a full and detailed mapping exercise and we funded the Western Development Commission to identify where all the hubs are. We will then be able to see any gaps and work on them. Some 100 hubs have signed up to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Our Rural Future, the new national rural development policy, is an ambitious blueprint for rural development in Ireland over the next five years that has the potential to have a transformative effect on rural communities. Through the policy, the Government has a vision to breathe new life into rural areas, with a focus on improved connectivity...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As part of the programme for Government we have committed that 20% of public servants will be allowed to work remotely. However, we can be much more ambitious than that because if Covid has taught us one thing, it is that remote working works. It reduces people's commute, improves their quality of life and is good for the environment. Sometimes working at home all the time can be quite...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will appreciate that, as Minister for Rural and Community Development, my priority is how we can enhance our rural towns and villages, which he will acknowledge have faced many difficulties. There has been significant investment in this area and remote working will be a game changer for them. However, there has also been major investment in urban areas and in libraries. Many...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Digital Hubs (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 41 together. I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. Remote working has the potential to transform rural Ireland, allowing people to build careers in good-quality jobs while continuing to live closer to home and to generate increased economic activity in our rural towns. The commitment to establish a comprehensive and integrated network of...