Results 721-740 of 1,082,147 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Damien English OR speaker:Paschal Donohoe OR speaker:Seán Crowe OR speaker:Heather Humphreys OR speaker:Duncan Smith OR speaker:Michael Ring OR speaker:Joe Flaherty OR speaker:Mark Ward OR speaker:John Lahart OR speaker:Denis Naughten OR speaker:Michael Healy-Rae OR speaker:Matt Shanahan OR speaker:Cormac Devlin OR speaker:Peadar Tóibín OR speaker:Brendan Howlin OR speaker:James Lawless OR speaker:Danny Healy-Rae OR speaker:John Brady OR speaker:Sorca Clarke OR speaker:Niamh Smyth)

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)

Denis Naughten: Is Deputy Ó Laoghaire satisfied?

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)

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)

Denis Naughten: I suggest that the committee agree to write to the Minister for Education on this matter, but it would be helpful if a similar letter were to go to her from the Minister, Deputy Humphreys’ office saying that this issue had been raised and we were anxious to have it resolved. With the agreement of the committee, we will issue that correspondence and CC the Minister, Deputy...

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)

Denis Naughten: Is Deputy Ó Cathasaigh satisfied?

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

Denis Naughten: I will raise an issue with the Minister briefly. It relates to her comments regarding the library in Kilkenny and to Deputy Ó Cathasaigh’s comments regarding what is happening in Tramore. A number of libraries around the country have additional spaces that are probably not being utilised in the best way possible. The advantage in using such spaces is that it brings people over...

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)

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...

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

Denis Naughten: Has the Minister a closing statement?

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

Heather Humphreys: No. I just want to thank members so much for their co-operation. We have come to the end of our term and this is probably our last meeting. I want to say a huge thank you to each and every member for the co-operation members have given me in getting all these Estimates through every single year and improving the budgets and for all their work because this committee has achieved a lot. We...

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

Denis Naughten: May I echo what Deputy Ó Cuív said, particularly regarding the Minister and the work that has been done in both Departments during this term.

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

Heather Humphreys: Thank you. On the means test, I am having a management board meeting this afternoon. It will be the number one item on my agenda.

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

Heather Humphreys: It is to find out where that report is on means tests and to get that because we do need to change it.

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

Denis Naughten: Before we adjourn, I wish to raise two issues. First, I thank all those who expressed their sympathies to my family on the sudden passing of my brother. That includes the Minister, my committee colleagues, the secretariat here and all the parliamentary community. There is a deep void left in our lives but also in public life. It is very apt that today we were approving funding of...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Message to Dáil (6 Nov 2024)

Denis Naughten: In accordance with Standing Order 101 the following message will be sent to the Dáil: The Select Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development has completed its consideration of the following Supplementary Estimate for public services for the year ending 31 December 2024: Vote 42 – Department of Rural and Community Development. Under Standing Order 100(2)...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (6 Nov 2024)

Mattie McGrath: I am extremely disappointed to hear the Minister of State read out another waffle from the Department. The Department is currently assessing the options. Just imagine that. I have a document here from December 2022, when the Department promised 12 modular classrooms to deal with the accommodation. In February 2023 the Department of Education changed it and listed five modular classrooms,...