Results 261-280 of 6,645 for speaker:Jimmy Deenihan

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Invasive Plant Species (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: My Department carries out an annual targeted programme of works to manage the spread of the invasive species Rhododendron ponticumin Killarney National Park. The extent of the problem varies from area to area within the Park and, having regard to the very dynamic nature of this invasive species, the targeted management programme is routinely monitored and adjusted with a view to ensuring...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Funding (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: The Government's policy on the arts is to promote and strengthen the arts in all its forms, to increase access to and participation in the arts, and to make the arts an integral and valued part of our national life. As the Deputy will be aware, primary responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. The Council is funded by...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Funding (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: Responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is primarily devolved to the Arts Council. The Arts Council is the principal statutory agency through which State funding is channelled to the arts. Under the Arts Act 2003, the Council is independent in its day-to-day operations and I am precluded from involvement in its funding decisions. Accordingly,...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Special Areas of Conservation Designation (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 26 together. Ireland is obliged under the EU Birds Directive to designate Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for Annex I species such as the Hen Harrier. Annex I species are those that are deemed in greatest need of conservation due to population and range declines. An incentivising scheme - the National Parks and Wildlife Service Farm Plan Scheme -...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Architectural Heritage (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: As the Deputy will be aware, a priority of the Government in the context of the commemorative programme for the Decade of Centenaries has been to advance a number of significant capital projects that would provide a lasting legacy of the centenary of the Rising. I was very pleased, therefore, to be present on 13 May last when the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced an...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Council Funding (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: As the Deputy is aware, it was announced as part of Budget 2014 that comprehensive reviews of both current and capital expenditure would be undertaken by all Government Departments during 2014. These reviews are conducted on a periodic basis to re-set Ministerial expenditure ceilings in line with emerging Government priorities and will form the basis of the Government's future multi-annual...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Architectural Heritage (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: Grant funding for the protection of built heritage is provided by my Department via a number of schemes, which are either directly administered or delivered through local authorities and agencies. I recently gave approval in principle for the allocation of €15,000 to St. Columba’s Church in Swords under the Built Heritage Jobs Leverage Scheme. My Department made available a...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Parks and Wildlife Service Staff (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: My Department directly employs 565 staff who are allocated to a broad range of functional areas across the Arts, Culture, Film, Music, Built and Natural Heritage, Irish Language, Gaeltacht, Islands and North/South Co-operation sectors. These staff are allocated to the various functional areas on the basis of need, having regard to overall resource availability. Of the total Departmental...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Parks and Wildlife Service Remit (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: My Department works extensively with a range of public authorities and NGOs to protect and enhance Ireland's biodiversity. For example, my Department substantially funds the Irish Environment Network to support events throughout Biodiversity Week, which is an annual event held across Ireland. In 2011, the Government approved Ireland’s 2nd National Biodiversity Plan, entitled...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Cultural Institutions (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: In response to the Government’s Public Service Reform Plan published in November 2011, my Department conducted a critical examination of the structure and operation of a range of cultural institutions and bodies, including the National Gallery of Ireland, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, the Crawford Art Gallery Cork, the National Library, the National Museum, the National Archives, the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Legislative Programme (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: In accordance with a commitment given in the Programme for Government 2011-2016, my Department has undertaken a review of the Official Languages ​​Act 2003. That commitment specified that a review be undertaken of the Act to ensure that expenditure on Irish is best used to develop the language and that obligations are imposed appropriately in response to demands from citizens....

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Natural Heritage Areas Designation (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: Statutory Instrument No 584 of 2005, which was signed into law on 20 September 2005, formally designated Moycullen Bogs, including Knockarasar Bog, as a Natural Heritage Area (NHA). The Statutory Instrument is available to view at NHAs are designated for the protection of certain endangered habitats, in this case blanket bog. To ensure the protection of these habitats, certain activities can...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Monuments (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: The standing stone known as the Lia Fáil at Tara, County Meath, is an extremely important national monument which is vested in my ownership as Minister and managed on my behalf by the Office of Public Works. The granite stone features extensively in ancient texts and is associated with the inauguration rites for the Kings of Tara. In the early nineteenth century the stone was moved from...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Inland Fisheries (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: The freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) is a large, long-lived, bivalve mollusc found in clean, fast-flowing rivers. It is a highly threatened animal, categorised as Critically Endangered within Ireland and across Europe. There are many factors involved as to why it is so endangered. The freshwater pearl mussel is listed in Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive and requires...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 to 78, inclusive, and 80 together. The passing of the Home Rule Act was a milestone in the history of Ireland and the crowning achievement of the Irish Parliamentary Party. As Minister with responsibility for co-ordinating the Decade of Centenaries, I have been following the historical timeline closely, marking key stages in the progress of the 3rdHome Rule...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Special Areas of Conservation Designation (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: The 1979 EU Birds Directive requires that each Member State of the European Union classify suitable areas as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for the protection of endangered species of bird, including the Hen Harrier. Under Article 6 of the Habitats Directive, which applies to SPAs, Ireland is obliged to prevent the deterioration of these SPAs as suitable areas for the species and only to...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: A total of 2,959 applications for compensation under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme, applicable to raised bog special areas of conservation, have been received and acknowledged by my Department. Of these, 820 applicants have expressed an interest in relocation to non-designated bogs. A total of 4,596 payments and 503 deliveries of turf have been made in respect of these...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: My Department has operated a number of compensation schemes applicable to those who have been cutting turf on raised bog special areas of conservation and natural heritage areas for domestic use. In 1999 a voluntary bog purchase scheme was established under which individuals with a legal interest in designated raised bog sites could apply to sell their interest in these areas to my...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Sites (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 83, 87 and 88 together. Comprehensive statistics are not available in respect of the number and location of endangered heritage sites or buildings throughout the country or specifically for County Kildare. As set out previously in my reply to the Deputy's Question No. 149 of 17 April 2014, my Department has a number of measures at its disposal to address...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Special Areas of Conservation Designation (11 Jun 2014)

Jimmy Deenihan: Some 707,000 hectares of the SAC network is regarded as terrestrial, or above the High Water Mark, with some 57,000 hectares of the NHA network in the same category. This includes inland water bodies. In addition, some 1,200 hectares, also defined as terrestrial, are within both an SAC and NHA. The designation process of Ireland’s SACs, of which there are 429, began in 1997 and will...