Written Answers Nos. 946-952
947. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on a matter (details supplied) relating to hosting students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12252/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be pleased to learn that I recently approved a once-off emergency measure worth €4.7m to support the stabilisation of the Gaeltacht Irish summer college sector.
The measure follows the cancellation, on 20th April 2020, of Irish summer college courses by my Department in the interests of protecting public health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the stabilisation package which has been approved, up to €3.1m will be directed at supporting the college authorities to refund fees/deposits to parents in full while a further €1.6m is being allocated towards supporting the c. 700 certified Gaeltacht householders who normally keep students attending one of the recognised 42 colleges during the summer months.
The stabilisation fund is being provided as a specific once-off measure with the overall objective of ensuring the ongoing viability of the sector - thereby enabling it to continue to contribute to the systematic efforts being made to support the language and Gaeltacht regions in line with the overarching objectives of the Government's 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 and the accompanying Plean Gníomhaíochta 2018-2022 (5-Year Action Plan for the Irish Language 2018-2022).
My Department will continue to engage with the sector, namely, the relevant college authorities as well as the Gaeltacht households recognised under my Department's Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge in order to administer the application process over the coming weeks.
948. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the way in which positions in an agency (details supplied) are filled; if there is a place on the board for a worker's representative; and the reason the first quarter 2020 funding has not been published. [12261/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAppointments to the Board of Screen Ireland are governed by the provisions of Section 12 of the Irish Film Board Acts 1980 to 2018. Seven members are appointed to the Board by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for a period of not more than 4 years.
Recruitment to fill vacancies is done through the Public Appointments Service (PAS). Advertisements for vacancies will be done by PAS and will set out the requirements to be met by applicants. The Board of Screen Ireland is not a representative board in that it does not include representatives from the various industry or stakeholder bodies. The Board's function is set out in section 4 of the 1980 Film Board Act which states that “the Board shall assist and encourage by any means it considers appropriate the making of films in the State and the development of an industry in the State for the making of films”. Screen Ireland's mission is to support and promote Irish film, television and animation through fostering Irish artistic vision and our diverse creative and production talent, growing audiences, and attracting film makers and investment into the country and all members of the Board, regardless of their sector of the industry or background must work towards that vision. I am advised that the 2020 Quarter 1 funding decisions are published at https://www.screenireland.ie/funding/funding-decisions
949. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of each of the Seeds for Nature commitments; the outstanding actions that need to be carried out; the timeframe for completion of the commitments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12486/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI announced the Seeds for Nature charter at the first National Biodiversity Conference in February 2019. The charter comprises a suite of commitments for nature and biodiversity involving a number of Government Departments, state agencies, private sector and non-governmental organisations to support, scale up and fast track the implementation of the National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP). The current Plan, Ireland's 3rd, runs from 2017 to 2021 and captures the objectives, targets and actions for biodiversity to be undertaken by a wide range of government, civil society and private sectors to achieve Ireland's Vision for Biodiversity.
While the commitments made were voluntary and not subject to reporting, my Department is tracking and charting progress and a full report will issue on progress in the autumn. Several of the Seeds have been realised and many are of an open ended nature where work is ongoing.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine launched The Clean Oceans Initiative, which saw approximately 202.3 tonnes of marine plastic waste from 12 of Ireland's busiest fishing ports and 53.7 tonnes of used fishing nets collected for recycling during the first year. Funding to support this Initiative was made available under Ireland's European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), in providing on-board storage facilities and on-shore infrastructure for environmentally friendly disposal of all plastics, ghost fishing gear and other waste recovered at sea.
Significant progress has been made in the commitment to expand Ireland's network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). An expert Advisory Group was established in October 2019 to provide advice and recommendations on the process by which an expansion of the network may be achieved. The expert group's intensive work includes consideration of existing spatial protection measures, economic, social and cultural needs, advising on the processes required for the future creation/extension of Ireland's MPAs and consideration of the gaps in existing legislation that are required to be addressed in order to underpin and effectively manage the future MPA network.
Funding for the National Seed Bank has been approved and the bank is forecast to be operational by autumn 2020, with some seeds already collected and ready to be transferred to the seed bank in due course. With the establishment of Coillte Nature in June 2019, the necessary permissions to work on restoring Hazelwood Forest, a 130ha woodland in a Special Are of Conservation on the banks of Lough Gill have been sought, with work scheduled to begin later this year. Gas Networks Ireland's work towards a net positive impact on biodiversity included a number of community engagement initiatives, such as nature walks to educate staff and biodiversity awareness talks for communities and schools.
Progress on my Department's commitments are outlined in the table below:
|
DCHG Seed for Nature |
Update |
|
Double the fund for Heritage and Biodiversity officers to implement biodiversity actions, including action to tackle Invasive Alien Species at local level (co-delivered with the City and County Managers' Association). |
Increased funding made available to local authorities in 2019 and 2020. |
|
Work with An Garda Síochána to progress a Memorandum of Understanding that provides for a closer working relationship, particularly for combatting wildlife crime. |
Discussions with An Garda Síochána are at an advanced stage on the finalisation of joint working arrangements. |
|
Run a Communications Campaign to inspire and motivate Irish citizens to take action for nature. |
The Department has harnessed and increased the reach of its social media platforms to communication messages supporting Nature to Irish citizens, which includes the launch of a #LoveNature #DuilsaDúlra campaign during National Biodiversity Week, with daily updates, including competitions, inspiring pictures, videos and information on Ireland's natural heritage. |
|
Establish an Irish Business and Biodiversity Platform with the Minister for Business, Heather Humphreys T.D. The Platform will promote best practice and seek commitments for biodiversity action and reporting from the private sector. Founding members (in principle, subject to Terms of Reference) include Gas Networks Ireland, EirGrid, Kepak, Dawn Meats, Coillte and Bord na Móna. |
A contract has been awarded for a scoping study to enhance the contribution that businesses can make to achieving national biodiversity policy objectives. Work will begin on this study within the coming month and the outcome will shape the establishment of a Business and Biodiversity Platform. |
|
Establish a Climate Action Programme within my Department. Provide funding for research to improve our understanding of the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and also for assessing the potential of nature-based solutions for mitigating and adapting to climate change. We will join forces with the EPA to support a bid for transnational funding on these important societal challenges. |
Two Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plans were launched in November 2019, and are being progressed by the Department under the Government's Climate Action Plan. These set out the actions needed to protect heritage from the impacts of climate change, and which cover Biodiversity and Built and Architectural Heritage. Research funding to improve our understanding of the impacts of climate change on biodiversity has been approved for 2020-2022. |
|
Promote draft legislation introducing a biodiversity duty which will place a requirement on public bodies to embed biodiversity in carrying out their functions as to promote or restore nature. |
The Wildlife (Amendment) Bill passed final stages in the Seanad in November 2019, with final amendments due to be presented to the Dáil prior to the dissolution of the 32nd Dáil. The legislation provides inter alia for the placing of a public duty on public bodies to promote the conservation of biodiversity. |
|
Undertake a Financial Needs Assessment for biodiversity to determine what we need to spend to achieve our national targets and work towards a resource mobilisation strategy for the National Biodiversity Action Plan. |
A Financial Needs Assessment study has been initiated in conjunction with UCD. |
|
Provide a small grant scheme to help specialist biodiversity recorders carry out field surveys on some of our most under-studied species. |
NPWS Grants Scheme for small recording projects advertised in July 2019 and again in 2020. Five projects were supported in 2019 and 8 are being supported in 2020. |
|
Make a proposal to Government on Natural Capital to raise awareness across Government of the natural capital approach to valuing and accounting for the benefits that nature provides to people and to the economy. |
Work is progressing in developing proposals for Government in relation to Natural Capital. |
|
Fund the work the Biodiversity Forum in overseeing the delivery of the National Biodiversity Action Plan. |
Funding provided. |
|
Continue to fund the National Biodiversity Data Centre and its citizen science programmes. |
Funding provided. |
950. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of sites on the list of proposed natural heritage areas by county; and when they will be designated as natural heritage areas. [12663/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are 630 proposed natural heritage areas. While a review of these sites is foreseen, the current focus of my Department is on fulfilling Ireland's obligations under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives and the designation of Natura 2000 sites i.e. special areas of conservation and special protection areas.
Although proposed natural heritage area sites are not subject to the natural heritage area provisions of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, they may be recognised in local authority development plans.
The number of proposed natural heritage areas by county is set out in the following table:
|
County |
Number of proposed Natural Heritage Areas |
|
Carlow |
4 |
|
Cavan |
16 |
|
Cork |
80 |
|
Clare |
30 |
|
Donegal |
25 |
|
Dublin |
22 |
|
Galway |
48 |
|
Kerry |
26 |
|
Kildare |
15 |
|
Kilkenny |
12 |
|
Laois |
19 |
|
Leitrim |
19 |
|
Limerick |
16 |
|
Longford |
14 |
|
Louth |
18 |
|
Mayo |
38 |
|
Meath |
16 |
|
Monaghan |
38 |
|
Offaly |
36 |
|
Roscommon |
27 |
|
Sligo |
15 |
|
Tipperary |
46 |
|
Waterford |
17 |
|
Westmeath |
23 |
|
Wexford |
20 |
|
Wicklow |
25 |
Some proposed natural heritage areas overlap county boundaries and are included in the table more than once.
951. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to the recent destruction of sensitive marsh habitats in Garrylucas, Garrettstown, Kinsale, County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12664/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraOfficials of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department are currently investigating an incident in Garrylucas Marsh, Co. Cork in relation to potential breaches of the Wildlife Acts. As the matter is subject to a live investigation by my Department I am not in a position to comment further at this time.
952. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if an exception will be made for ferries to offshore islands to allow persons social distance at 1 m with compulsory face masks in order to ensure the viability of the services. [12665/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will appreciate that the current social distancing restrictions on public transport are an important element of the country's efforts at keeping the COVID-19 virus suppressed. In this regard, the HSE has issued guidance for ferries to the offshore islands -
https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/porthealthguidance/COVID-19_Guidance%20for%20ferries%20to%20offshore%20islands_v1_20.03.2020.pdf
Any changes to this guidance will be based on advice from the relevant health authorities, and in accordance with the Government's roadmap. In addition, the HSE has advised that face coverings should be worn where it is difficult to practice social distancing.
