Results 301-320 of 1,080,575 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Kieran O'Donnell OR speaker:Roderic O'Gorman OR speaker:Noel Grealish OR speaker:Seán Haughey OR speaker:Marc Ó Cathasaigh OR speaker:Pearse Doherty OR speaker:Heather Humphreys OR speaker:Pádraig O'Sullivan OR speaker:Gary Gannon OR speaker:Réada Cronin) in 'Committee meetings'

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla (Atógáil) - Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Public Transport (6 Nov 2024)

Public Transport

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla (Atógáil) - Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Public Transport (6 Nov 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: I wish to raise with the Minister of State today the issue of public transport in Wicklow. It is one of the main issues people talk to me about. Constituents are being absolutely let down and failed by the Government's approach when it comes to the delivery of public transport. We could see no better or clearer example of that than the absolute chaos on the N11 every single morning. It is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla (Atógáil) - Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Public Transport (6 Nov 2024)

James Browne: On behalf of the Minister for Transport, I thank Deputy Whitmore for raising the important issue of public transport for Wicklow. Improving public transport services and infrastructure is central to improving citizens’ quality of life and addressing our climate action challenge, and this Government is committed to a fundamental change in the nature of transport in Ireland. The...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the committee for the opportunity to present this request for substantive and technical Supplementary Estimates for the Department of Rural and Community Development. The substantive Estimate comprises: an additional €10 million in funding for the local improvement scheme; an additional €2 million in current funding for social inclusion supports, through the community...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: A few of us are.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Since 2017, we have put €170 into the local improvement scheme and as 5,000 roads have been completed during that time, there has been a lot of progress. I have written to the Minister for Transport on numerous occasions and every time I stand up in the Dáil I ask my colleagues to raise this with the Minister for Transport because these are roads, after all. I do not know if I...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: We have to look at all of these things and it will be in the context of the funding available to the islands, full stop. I take the Deputy's point and I acknowledge the community development projects are very important and drive projects on the island. I do not believe there is specific extra funding for them at the minute apart from what was outlined in the budget. I do not have a figure...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The savings on the Supplementary Estimate relate to slower than anticipated progress on one major library project in Swords, as well as delays in some minor projects, including the completion of some My Open Library projects. In terms of the capital for libraries, there is a libraries fund but a lot of capital comes from the rural regeneration fund because, in many places across the country...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I will briefly raise two matters with the Minister. Like Deputy Ó Laoghaire, I am broadly happy with the Supplementary Estimates, but I wish to comment on library infrastructure. Some €250,000, more or less, was invested in the library in Tramore to move it to the My Open Library service. Once people see such investment, they realise that the library has changed from bricks and...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Yellow Flag programme is funded through the Dormant Accounts Fund, which we manage. Other Departments make their pitches and get allocated funding and those decisions are brought to the Government. Every Department has its own slice of the cake and we manage our piece as it relates to the work we do. I am unsure, but I believe the Yellow Flag programme falls under the Department of...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: It is the type of programme that, if a Minister expressed an interest in it, a resolution would be found quickly. It is one of the issues I would like to see resolved. It is an excellent programme.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: As far as I know, the Deputy needs to raise the matter with the Minister for Education. I am not sure.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I have no problem writing to the Minister about it either. It is not a great deal of money and the programme is worthwhile.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: They all spend it. Different Departments get different funding for different programmes. Once they get the funding, it is up to them to ensure they have enough to roll out their programmes. They sometimes have to put in money from their own departmental budgets. I encountered that with a social protection programme. I believe it was the EmployAbility programme. I had to invest...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: We launched a new public library strategy in July of last year, called “The Library is the Place: Information, Recreation, Inspiration”. I launched it when I was visiting Portlaoise library. An old store – Shaw’s – had been transformed into a beautiful library. It is a fabulous building with loads of rooms, some of which are used as meeting rooms and so...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: Yes.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The community centre investment fund started off with repairs and refurbishment works for existing community centres. The second tranche I launched was for new community centres across the country. There were a number of them. They were centres for new communities. More people had moved into areas but had no community centres. It was particularly noticeable. Two such centres in Galway...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (6 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Yes, I certainly cannot forget about the men’s sheds and the women’s sheds, which is a growing organisation. I was particularly keen that we would have the women’s sheds as well. They have been working very well and the network is expanding. I did say to them they should use the men’s shed as a good example. Only yesterday I signed off and made sure that we get...