Written Answers Nos. 764-777
764. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an raibh aon phlé aici nó ag a Roinn le Banc Ceannais na hÉireann maidir leis an ngá atá ann go mbeidh seirbhísí Comhair Creidmheasa as Gaeilge ar fáil ar fud an stáit; cérbh é toradh na gcomhráití sin; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [31929/18]
View answerBíonn plé ag mo Roinn le Banc Ceannais na hÉireann maidir lena scéimeanna teanga faoi Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003. Tháinig an dara scéim dá chuid i bhfeidhm ar 18 Eanáir 2016 agus tá iarrtha air anois faoi Alt 15 den Acht an chéad scéim eile a ullmhú.
Níor pléadh na seirbhísí a chuireann Comhair Chreidmheasa as Gaeilge ar fáil ar fud na tíre leis an Bhanc Ceannais mar nach bhfuil ról monatóireachta teanga den tsaghas sin ag an Bhanc Ceannais.
765. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason there is no monitoring committee for each island to monitor the quality of the freight and passenger services to the islands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31934/18]
View answerMy officials have regular contact with island representatives, are available to listen to island community concerns and also meet with representatives of island communities through various fora, including Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann/The Irish Islands Federation. I am satisfied that the level of contact between my Department and island communities is strong. However, I also recognise that this can be enhanced and I will be seeking to achieve this in the period ahead, taking account of available resources.
766. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for the airstrips at Cluain Leacht and Abba, An Cloigeann, Contae na Gaillimhe, and on Inishbofin following on from the public consultation that took place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31935/18]
View answer767. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason the airstrips at Cluain Leacht an Abba, Cloigeann and Inishbofin are not open for private aircraft to use; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31936/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 766 and 767 together.
As referred to by the Deputy, my Department undertook a public consultation process in 2017 whereby it sought submissions from interested parties in relation to the future use of airstrips and surrounding sites in the ownership of the Department on Inishbofin and at Cleggan, County Galway. A large number of submissions were received and these have been reviewed by my Department. My Department has also received specific requests in relation to the sites, including from the HSE and the Irish Coast Guard and these are being considered in the context of the review of submissions. It is my intention to make a decision in regard to the sites in due course, having regard to the submissions received, the current status of the sites and the original purpose for which they were developed.
With regard to use of the airstrips for private aircraft, I would remind the Deputy that the landing strips are not open or licensed for use by the Irish Aviation Authority at present. Therefore, landing aircraft on the airstrips is prohibited.
768. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the threat response plan for hen harrier areas will be completed; and her views on permitting afforestation in hen harrier areas. [31977/18]
View answerThe draft Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan is nearing completion and is currently being refined in consultation with Departmental stakeholders. The draft was circulated to the Consultative Committee and observations from members of the Committee were sought. Committee members requested a period in which to make observations, and the final observations were received last week. The Department will review those observations and meet with the Committee as soon as practical, and the plan will then go to public consultation.
769. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding provided towards capital projects in counties Meath and Louth in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018, by project name, location and cost in tabular form. [31986/18]
View answer770. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the applications submitted for funding and projects from Meath and Louth County Councils in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018 for projects decided upon or in progress in tabular form. [32002/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 769 and 770 together.
Details of the annual funding allocation to my Department at subhead level are published in the annual Revised Estimates Volume. Through these subheads, my Department administers and delivers a wide range of programmes and measures, descriptions of which are available on its website at http://www.chg.gov.ie/
Expenditure under these programme areas is recorded and accounted for on a national basis and it is not possible to give a regional or county-by-county breakdown of that expenditure. For example, a number of my Department’s programmes are delivered through agencies and other intermediary bodies that operate across county boundaries and in respect of which there is no detailed breakdown on a county basis held by my Department. Groups and organisations that receive grants directly from my Department are not typically constituted on a single-county basis.
In view of this and because of the wide range of my Department’s schemes and programmes, and the large volumes of payments and grants involved, it is not possible to provide the information sought. However, if the Deputy has specific queries relating to a particular programme or grant, I will endeavour to provide him with relevant information in that regard.
771. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the cost of implementing a living wage of €11.90 for all employees directly employed and or in agencies funded by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32219/18]
View answerI have been advised by officials in my Department that, based on current staffing and pay levels, the estimated additional annual cost of introducing an hourly wage of €11.90 for all employees, employed both directly in my Department and in agencies under its aegis and who are not already paid that amount or more, would be approximately €338,000.
772. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans in regard to health and safety management and control of the urban gull population, in particular in north County Dublin. [32231/18]
View answer773. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to implement health and safety management and control measures to control the urban seagull population in particular in north County Dublin through the non-harm measure of nest and egg removal on a multi-year basis as is carried out in jurisdictions that implement health and safety measures to control urban seagull populations. [32232/18]
View answer774. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the final report from the review into the urban gull population and health and safety management and control measures will be published. [32233/18]
View answer775. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to wait until May 2019 before a revised or new policy for the health and safety management and control of urban gull populations is implemented. [32234/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 772 to 775, inclusive, together.
The EU Birds Directive allows Member States to make derogations from its protective measures in respect of certain wild bird species in certain circumstances – for example, where they are causing damage to crops, livestock and fauna or represent a threat to public health or safety or to air safety. The Declarations to implement these derogations are renewed annually and an annual review of the Declarations is undertaken prior to their expiry.
Last year’s review took into account the issue of seagulls in the North Dublin area especially in Balbriggan which had been the subject of correspondence to my Department from some community groups and other residents which proposed the inclusion of seagull species in the Declaration.
Following consideration of the matter, last year's Declaration, which was effective from 1 May 2017 to 30 April 2018, included methods to control seagull species in the Balbriggan area for public safety reasons. The control method involved the removal of eggs and nests only and the culling of seagulls was not permitted. Similar provision has now been made in this year's Declaration, effective until 30 April 2019.
Future policy in this matter will be informed by the review of the derogation process under Article 9 of the EU Birds Directive. For further information on this review I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos 976, 977,978, 979, 980, 981 and 982 of 10 July last.
776. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a grant scheme will be considered for the restoration and maintenance of vintage mechanical equipment and machinery, such as steam engines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32296/18]
View answerWhile my Department does not have a specific scheme for the restoration of vintage machinery, the Arts and Culture Capital Scheme operated by my Department may include a contribution towards equipment or machinery within an overall project that fulfils the criteria of the scheme. I expect to re-open this scheme for new applications later in the year.
777. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding legislation on hedge cutting; when the changes will be made to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32298/18]
View answerSection 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976, as amended, prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August.
Following a review of Section 40, which involved, inter alia, consideration of submissions from interested parties, proposals were announced in December 2015 to introduce legislation to allow for managed hedge cutting and burning at certain times within the existing closed period on a pilot two year basis. The legislation required to allow for these pilot measures is included in the Heritage Bill 2016, which was published in January 2016.
The Bill has completed its passage through both Houses of the Oireachtas and the next step is for it to be submitted to the President for signature. The provisions of Section 7 of the Bill on hedge cutting and burning will not come into force until Regulations are made, as provided for in that Section. In the meantime, the existing provisions relating to Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts remain in force.
