Results 17,341-17,360 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Library Services (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Library membership has gone up considerably since the lockdown and that is really good. As for online material alone, in March 2020, 17,865 new users registered to use the online BorrowBox service, which provides access to ebooks. That was a 702% increase in the number of new users. There has also been a 122% increase in the number of ebooks borrowed this year and a 111% increase in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Harbours and Piers (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I agree with the Deputy that this has been going on for a considerable period. I am personally committed to trying to do all I can to assist in progressing the matter. I understand the difficulties with the cargo ship - that it cannot get in and out - and that it is badly needed. My officials are keeping in contact with the island committee. My officials will be happy to meet them...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: LEADER Programmes (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 12 and 18 together. The programme for Government includes a commitment to prioritise a State-led programme to bridge the gap between the current LEADER programme and the next EU programme. The objective of this commitment is to allow a local-led rural development project to be delivered under a transitional programme until the new EU programme...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: LEADER Programmes (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I know the Mayo local development companies do good work. I wish to continue to support the companies in finishing off this programme. The end of this year is the end date for announcing new projects. Some of the companies still have several projects and applications to which they have yet to allocate funding. It will take some time for these projects to draw down the money. The local...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Initiatives (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I agree. For that reason, there will be a focus on remote working under the rural development plan. Co-working is better because people need social interaction. I have already spoken to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, about co-working spaces specifically designed for public servants so that they can go to towns with facilities that have been kitted...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Initiatives (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I have discussed this matter with the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath. He and I are committed to working on this initiative so that public servants can access good-quality facilities in locations across the country. It is the right thing to do. It will help towns and villages that are crying out for workers to revitalise them.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Harbours and Piers (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Go raibh maith ag an Deputy for raising this issue. As she will be aware, the pier on Inis Meáin is listed among the capital development projects referenced in the national development plan. To date, approximately €14 million has been spent on the project's first two phases. Users of the pier, including a number of State-subsidised ferry operators, have highlighted issues with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Harbours and Piers (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has given funding to Galway County Council with advice on preparing a draft business case. The Department has also provided funding of €39,360 to Galway County Council for the preparation of the modelling simulations. The project will take some time, but progress has been made. The key aspect is that there is co-operation between the county council and the NMCI....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Harbours and Piers (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I imagine that Galway County Council has been engaging with the community on Inis Meáin. Some of the Deputy's colleagues have raised the matter with me numerous times. I am sure they have been in contact with the community as well. Deputy Ó Cuív has had a long-standing interest in ensuring this project is brought to fruition. I wish to reassure the Deputy the national...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: LEADER Programmes (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: For the third time, €44 million has been made available for next year to pay for existing projects and for a new transitional programme. In a number of weeks, I will be issuing a new transitional programme, following consultation with the stakeholders. The local development companies do really good work on the ground. I engage with them in my other Department, the Department of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Initiatives (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The increased shift to remote work in the past six months as a result of Covid-19 has given us the opportunity to reimagine the possibilities for a greater regional distribution of jobs and to support better quality of life for many who previously spent many hours on long commutes. Remote working has the potential to transform rural areas, allowing...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Initiatives (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: We will have 200 broadband connection points rolled out before the end of this year, and the remaining 100 or so will be rolled out by the first half of next year. We are rolling them out as quickly as possible. The way it works is that the broadband officer in the local authority identifies certain communities that have poor-quality broadband. We have worked with Vodafone and National...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Initiatives (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I take the Deputy's point on where there are gaps in coverage along roads. This is being examined under the national broadband plan. The types of areas in question are identified as areas that need attention.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Initiatives (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The local authorities are certainly working with communities across the country. They are happy to work further with them. If there are other connection points that we need to consider, I will be happy to work with the local authorities in that regard and get feedback from them. Let me state what the €5 million is for. We need a mapping exercise because we need to find out where...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: LEADER Programmes (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. It is important to say first that there will be a transitional programme but there are many projects and therefore the LEADER companies will be very busy over the next year or year and a half in terms of finishing the projects. They have until the end of this year to make the further announcements. In terms of the figures, there are 3,500 projects approved to a value of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: LEADER Programmes (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: No. I got an extra €4 million in my baseline. The budget for LEADER for 2020 was €40 million. There is an extra €4 million in the baseline for next year. There is a total of €44 million available next year to fund existing projects and to develop a transition programme.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: LEADER Programmes (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: To clarify for the Deputy, funding is provided for 2021. That assumption is incorrect. There is €44 million in the budget for 2021. That €44 million will be used to fund existing LEADER commitments and provide for a transitional programme. The current LEADER programme comes to an end in December this year, but due to delays in agreeing the Common Agricultural Policy and the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: LEADER Programmes (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: We have a transition plan.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: LEADER Programmes (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: There is no uncertainty.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: LEADER Programmes (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Can I be very clear?