Results 15,481-15,500 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (11 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Since 2016, my Department has allocated almost €68 million to nearly 1,000 projects through the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS). I launched the 2021 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme on 23rd April 2021 and the scheme is now open for applications. I was pleased to secure a 20% increase in funding for the 2021 scheme which, together with the continuing...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Offshore Islands (11 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy may be aware, my Department is developing a new Islands policy, with the sustainability of vibrant island communities at its core. While rural communities are faced by a range of challenges, these have an extra dimension for island communities due to their separation from the mainland. The cross Departmental policy will work towards having the challenges of island living...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Offshore Islands (11 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1006, 1007, 1008 and 1010 together. I am working to ensure that sustainable vibrant communities continue to live on the islands, and I have made this one of the key elements of Our Rural Future, the Government’s new Rural Development Policy. Furthermore, my Department is currently developing a new National Islands Policy, a central objective of which...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Offshore Islands (11 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: LEADER is a rural development programme co-funded by the EU which 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 including the islands. The current programme is delivered to the off-shore islands by the Donegal, Mayo and West Cork Local Action Groups (LAGs)...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Offshore Islands (11 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is in regular contact with island representative groups in relation to the supports that are required to ensure their sustainability. At the outset of the COVID crisis, my officials contacted the relevant representative groups - Comharchumainn, Island Development Companies and Comhdháil Oileain na hÉireann, as well as all of the ferry operators - to discuss...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dog Breeding Industry (11 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1012 to 1016, inclusive, together. Each year my Department publishes annual statistics in respect of a range of the dog control responsibilities of local authorities, including those that relate to dog breeding establishments. This information is collated from annual returns received from all local authorities. Information up to and including 2019, by county...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (11 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Green Flag Award is an international benchmarking standard for parks and green spaces. An Taisce, manage the Award in the Republic of Ireland. The co-ordination of the Green Flag Community Award Scheme in Ireland is made possible by the support of my Department. The Green Flag Community Award extends the Scheme to include community initiatives such as Community Gardens, Community Parks,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (11 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department delivers a variety of schemes that provide supports for groups in rural and urban communities. The provisional gross outturn for my Department in 2020 was €359.42 million. Of this, €152.73 million was spent within the rural development programme area and €202.51 million within the community development area. The remaining €4.17 million funded the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Staff (11 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Rural and Community Developmentwas established on 19July 2017 to provide a renewed and consolidated focus on rural and community development in Ireland. I can confirm that as of 06/05/2021 there are 166 persons employed by my Department. My Department has a pay allocation budget in 2021 of €10,579,000 which covers the salaries of those 166 persons.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Contracts (11 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has not incurred any expenditure, either through staff hired or firms /consultants used, to deal specifically with public relations.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (6 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a number of income supports for persons with a disability, these supports include the disability allowance (DA) scheme. It is important to note that entitlement to DA is not contingent on the nature of the disability but, subject to a number of other conditions, on the extent to which a particular disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity for work. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (6 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The 2021 Further Revised Estimate, to be considered by the Select Committee on Social Protection in late May 2021, will provide for an allocation of €3,323 million for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). This is an increase of almost €2.7 billion on the allocation provided for in the 2021 Revised Estimate published in December 2020. The 2021 Further Revised Estimate for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Transport (6 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approx. 994,000...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (6 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Government acknowledges the crucial role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy. The main income supports to carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and the Carer’s Support Grant....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance (6 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The application for a Jobseekers Allowance payment by the person concerned has been reviewed by a Deciding Officer. A request for further details regarding their Habitual Residence in the state was sent to the person concerned by email on Wednesday 28/04/2021. The Deciding Officer will contact the applicant by telephone to further progress the application. I trust this clarifies the position...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: House Sales (6 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011, established the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA), a statutory regulatory body specifically tasked with responsibility for licensing and regulating property services providers (auctioneers, estate agents, letting agents and property management agents) with a view to ensuring high standards in the provision of property services. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Safety (6 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I have requested a report on the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, unfortunately the report was not to hand in time. I will write to the Deputy on receipt of the requested information.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (6 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government's response to the COVID 19 pandemic is led by my colleague, the Minister for Health. The Minister for Health has made a number of public health regulations under the Health Act 1947 (as amended), including penal provisions which are designated as fixed charge offences. An Garda Síochána receives information from the Department of Health on...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (6 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government's response to the COVID 19 pandemic is led by my colleague, the Minister for Health. The Minister for Health has made a number of public health regulations under the Health Act 1947 (as amended), including a number of penal provisions which are designated as fixed charge offences. I can confirm, however, that there is no fixed charge offence of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Vacant Properties (6 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The refurbishment of vacant properties is being tackled by a number of funding streams delivered by my Department, including through the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) and the Town & Village Renewal Scheme. In April, I announced funding for 25 projects which were successful under a Category 1 call for applications to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. In...