Vol. 451 No. 3
1 D'fhiafraigh Éamon Ó Cuív den Taoiseach an bhfuil freagracht ar an Aire Stáit d'Fhorbairt an Iarthair i leith seirbhísí farantóireachta go dtí na hOileáin Mhara atá ar an gCósta; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [6216/95]
Chomh maith le mo chuid freagrachtaí mar Aire Stáit d'Fhorbairt an Iarthair agus d'Athnuachan Tuaithe, tá freagracht tugtha dom i ndáil le toscaí maireachtála a fheabhsú ar na hoileáin amach ón gcósta.
Tá freagracht ar Airí ar leith i ndáil lena gcuid feidhmeanna sonracha féin a mbíonn éifeacht acu ar phobail na n-oileán, mar shampla, tithíocht, bóithre, cúram sláinte, soláthar cumhachta agus gnéithe de sheirbhísí farantóireachta.
Ceapadh mé le déanaí mar Chathaoirleach an gCoiste Comhordaithe Idir-Rannúil um Fhorbairt na n-Oileán. Mar Chathaoirleach an Choiste beidh sé mar chúram orm iarrachtaí an Rialtais ar mhaithe leis na bpobal ar na hoileáin amach ón gcósta a chomhordú. Cheana féin, táim taréis nithe áirithe a phlé leis an gCoiste — ar a n-áirítear teacht i dtír chuig na hoileáin agus líon mór ábhar eile a bhfuil comhshuim ag na daoine atá ina gcónaí ar na hoileáin sin iontu.
D'iarr mé ar an gCoiste an cheist maidir le soláthar sheirbhísí farantóireachta do phobail ar na hoileáin amach ón gcósta a athbhreithniú d'fhonn réiteach a fháil ar na fadhbanna a ardaíodh liom le déanaí le linn cruinnithe le hionadaithe ó na hoileáin.
An bhfúil sé i gceist ag an Rialtas seirbhís faoi leith a chur ar fáil do gach oileán? Cé mhéid airgid atá i gceist don bhliain seo chun na seirbhísí seo a chur ar fáil?
Mar fhreagra ar an dara cheist, níl suim airgid faoi leith agam don obair sin. Tá an Coiste ag déanamh staidéir ar cheist farantóireachta do gach oileán agus beidh tuairisc an Choiste sin agam i gcionn trí no ceithre mhí.
Will the Minister accept it is inequitable for the State to subsidise the ferry service to some islands while not to others? For many years State subsidy has been given in the case of Irish speaking islands off the Galway coast such as the Aran Islands, but the same does not apply to Inishbofin or to Clare Island or Inishturk off the coast of Mayo. Will the Minister indicate the Government's policy in this regard? I will be the first to applaud him if he introduces an equitable scheme that makes no distinction between Irish and English speaking islands. He should ensure that people living on islands off our shores are treated equally. People in the Gaeltacht islands who have been getting better services, would also welcome that. A separate Department dealt with their affairs down the years and the public representatives in the area fought for their rights. Is the Minister aware that the Taoiseach's Department has been an obstacle in this matter? I appeal to the Minister to give an indication that the position will change.
I have been appointed chairman of the Interdepartmental Committee on Islands and one of the issues the committee is addressing is access to all islands. The committee report will include proposals that will guarantee access to every person living on an island off the Irish coast. I acknowledge, as was pointed out by Deputy Molloy, that the only power in this area at present relates to the 1946 Act which empowers the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications to subsidise service to the Aran Islands. These matters were discussed by the interdepartmental committee as late as today and I hope to make progress quickly in resolving the problems.
Is the Minister aware that an application for grant assistance from Clare Island has been with the Department for many months and up to recently no decision was made in this regard?
The Deputy is raising a separate matter.
It is the same issue. It refers to the ferry service to Clare Island.
I recently met a deputation from Clare Island and I understand the difficulties in this area. I am making appropriate inquiries with a view to resolving the matter. I do not know whether it will be resolved for the 1995 season but I will make every effort to ensure that is done.
