Vol. 456 No. 3
1 Mr. Molloy asked the Taoiseach the date the inter-departmental Committee on Island Development was established; the names of the current members of the committee and the organisations they represent; the reason for the delay in finalising the report; if he will give an estimate of the date on which the report will be published; whether it will be immediately made available to members of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13623/95]
The Interdepartmental Co-Ordinating Committee on Island Development was established in June 1993. It was re-established under my chairmanship in February 1995. The committee's terms of reference are: "To review and prioritise development strategies and recommend on actions to ensure a co-ordinated approach to all aspects of island development, including the question of structural relationships". I will send the Deputy a list of Government Departments represented on the committee.
The development and improvement of living conditions on offshore islands involves initiatives by a number of Government Departments, State agencies local development organisations, local community and voluntary groups. Each Government Department represented on the interdepartmental co-ordinating committee continues to maintain full responsibility for its own areas of policy which affects the living conditions of island communities.
Members of the committee last week met representatives of Comhdháil Óileáin na hÉireann. This meeting was part of the ongoing consultative process that is essential in drawing up the report. Comhdháil representatives made a presentation to the committee and key issues were discussed. The meeting was constructive and very useful and the committee will address the points made by the Comhdháil representatives in finalising its report.
In addition, in my capacity as chairperson of the Interdepartmental Co-ordinating Committee on Island Development, I recently met Ms Wulf Mathies, the European Union's Commissioner for Regional Affairs. This meeting addressed the important issues of island access and island development. The conclusions of the meeting will be reflected in the report.
The committee is currently redrafting its report, I expect that it will be completed by the end of October for presentation to Government prior to publication.
Is the Minister of State aware that all inquiries regarding matters affecting offshore islands have met with a standard type response with which this matter has been considered by the interdepartmental review committee? The committee has been deliberating on matters for a long time, since June 1993, as confirmed by the Minister of State. Will he indicate why it is taking so long for the committee to issue its report or did he find that when he took up office and, as he said, re-established the committee, it had not been undertaking work prior to his appointment? Is there any explanation for the long delay in the committee concluding its deliberations and presenting its report in view of the urgency attaching to the issues under discussion?
The committee is representative of all Departments. While it did not meet frequently, a good deal of work was done by the Department of the Marine. Since setting up the new committee and following representations from people committed to the long term future of the islands, we have had to review the matter. The revised report will address questions put to them by the then Minister for the Marine, Deputy Andrews. The long term development of the islands will be given the greatest attention and I expect a report will be published by the end of October.
Will the Minister of State comment on the number of meetings held by the committee since it was established in June 1993?
The committee has held nine formal meetings.
Nine meetings over two years?
Many subcommittee meetings have been held, but there have been nine formal meetings of the committee.
Will the Minister of State accept that over the years Government Departments have shown very little interest in the plight of communities residing on our offshore islands and that specific political action is required to attain the standard of facilities and services to which people living on offshore islands are entitled, to eliminate discrepancies between Gaeltacht and non-Gaeltacht islands?
A different situation has arisen under this Government in that this is the first time a junior Minister has been given particular responsibility for island development. It is my intention to ensure that a valuable report will be completed and there will be plenty of opportunity to debate the matter in this House prior to Christmas when all the allegations Deputy Molloy raised can be voiced.
And they will be.
I have a particular interest in this area since a co-ordination role was given initially to the Minister for the Marine and subsequently to the Minister of State, Deputy Carey, on his appointment as a result of questions I put to the then Taoiseach. Will the Minister of State confirm that he and the committee are considering positively the various concerns enunciated by the islanders and that there will be positive developments for islanders arising from this report? Will he confirm that issues of major interest to islanders concerning additional costs of transport to an island, difficulties relating to ferries, problems faced by parents regarding their children's education, particularly secondary education and problems concerning health services are being examined by the committee?
The Deputy's question is very long.
Those are the issues.
Those are major issues covering many islands, not least those in my constituency.
We cannot debate the issue now.
I am particularly interested in another aspect. Will the Minister of State confirm if he accepts there is a case for a similiar level of support and subsidy available to Gaeltacht islands to be made available to non-Gaeltacht islands?
That should be adequate.
All the questions the Deputy put to me will be addressed in the report and I do not want to reveal its contents before it is finalised. Comhdháil Óileáin is a group which represents all islands, including Rathlin island, which is outside the State's territory as matters stand. The members of that group were satisfied that the consultation process regarding the problems in all areas is being adequately dealt with by the report being put together. When it is finalised there will be a great opportunity to give full support to the proposals which will be positive.
Does the Minister of State intend to immediately implement the more obvious proposals that must be included in the report, namely, the provision of an adequate ferry service and an adequate pier to each island? Also, if there is a proposal that access to free education be available to islanders, will the Minister of State ensure its immediate implementation or must we await consideration of another report which will put the question back another three years? Will the Minister of State agree that many of the problems to be addressed in this report were so obvious from the outset there should not have been any need for a report to find solutions to them?
They should have been addressed by the last Government. Nothing was done.
The Deputy should have discussions with Comhdháil Óileáin to see whether it is satisfied with my representations in regard to island problems as they have come to the notice of my Department. All of the anxieties to which Deputy Ó Cuív referred will be addressed in the report. I intend to pursue this matter to the end. I have been given responsibility for approximately 3,000 people who have suffered inequities throughout the years under various Governments. Because they were few in number those people were treated disgracefully and it is my intention to ensure that equity will obtain.
Will the Minister of State extend to those Members of the House who represent constituencies in which offshore communities reside the same facility extended to Comhdháil Óileáin so that any Deputy who so wished could meet the interdepartmental committee to discuss relevant issues in regard to the offshore islands before the report is finalised?
I will consider that.
I am proceeding now to priority questions. Before doing so may I say that an Order of the Dáil of 24 January 1995 requires that the third question nominated for priority be a question tabled by a member of the Progressive Democrats Party. Due to a printing error, this is not reflected on today's Order Paper. I propose to call Questions Nos. 2, 3, 6, 4 and 5 in that order in accordance with the Order of the House of 24 January last. Question No. 2 is in the name of Deputy O'Donoghue.
