Vol. 439 No. 5
1 Mr. Molloy asked the Taoiseach if he will accede to the request of Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann that inhabited offshore islands be included as a designated area in the new local development initiative programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Government has decided on the areas to be included in the local development programme and a statement to this effect issued on 9 February 1994.
The areas were chosen following detailed assessment involving objective and measurable indicators of disadvantage, feasible operational boundaries and viability in terms of size and economic base. It is not proposed to add to the areas already announced.
The objective of the area based approach is to enable local communities to become involved in bringing about socio-economic development in their own areas. In this context, the development of island communities is closely associated with the mainland areas to which they relate. Island communities will, therefore, be fully involved in the local development programme in the relevant designated areas.
Will the Taoiseach agree that the economy of these islands and their economic and social development is largely influenced by the remoteness of their location and peripherality? As Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann was established to represent all the islands, will the Taoiseach and the Government reconsider the decision and agree to recognise the inhabited islands off our shores as a distinct unit under this programme? Surely it is accepted that special assistance is needed to provide for the economic and social development prospects one would expect nowadays for islanders?
I hope the Deputy will agree it would be an unnecessarily complicated structure to have, for instance, Aranmore and Tory islands in a separate area from Donegal. We decided to link islands with the hinterland closest to them as the most practical way of dealing with this. Islands included in this programme are Achill, Clare, Inishturk, Inishbiggle, Inishbofin and the three Aran islands and off the Donegal coast, Tory, Aran and Inishfree.
Will the Taoiseach accept that previous Governments recognised the need for a unified organisation to represent the inhabitants of our offshore islands and encouraged and welcomed the establishment of Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann set up specifically for that purpose with full Government support? Will the Taoiseach also accept it will be a major disappointment to the islands that the Government does not recognise this need by not agreeing to give the islands a separate, distinct status under this local development initiative programme in view of the unique and special difficulties that exist for people living on islands?
The questioning is becoming overlong.
Is the Taoiseach aware——
Deputy Molloy has had a fair innings.
Is the Taoiseach aware that it costs 20 to 30 per cent more to live on an island, to build a house and to feed and clothe one's family due to the remoteness of the location?
The Deputy is imparting information rather than seeking it.
The Government has not set out to disadvantage the island community any more that it is disadvantaged at present. I recognise they are at a disadvantage. We had to consider if it would be better to keep the islands together or to link them to their own hinterlands. The committee examining this issue decided that the islands would fare better if linked to their own hinterlands.
May I ask——
The question must be very brief. We will not debate this matter at Question Time.
There are not too many voices for the islanders in this House.
You have a strong voice.
Is the Taoiseach aware that previous Governments saw no difficulty in agreeing to a Leader programme for the Gaeltacht areas which were equally dispersed throughout the west, just like the islands? This defeats the Taoiseach's argument that it would not have been right to make them a unified distinct group for this purpose.
We are not setting out to disadvantage the islands. We are trying to assist them and let them avail of the advantages of this programme. I will have the matter taken up again with the committee that analysed and evaluated the problem to see if things can be improved by going the other route.
I knew the third question would get to the Taoiseach.
Deputy Molloy was always gracious.
Something the Deputy would not know about.
