Vol. 508 No. 5
44 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands her views on whether special capital funding should be available for development projects on islands in coming years; and the proposals, if any, she has in this regard. [19118/99]
My Department was assigned responsibility for the offshore islands in July 1997. In 1998 I approved grants of over £4.763 million from subhead W – Islands – and subhead E – Muiroibreacha Gaeltachta – for various capital projects aimed at the economic and social development of the inhabited offshore islands. This included funding of over £1.7 million towards the improvement of landing facilities on five islands off the County Cork coast and expenditure of almost £0.9 million on the continuation of major marine works at Oileán Thoraí, County Donegal. Further major investment on the offshore islands has been sanctioned to date this year, including works on the pier at Leabh Garbh on Árainn Mhór Island, County Donegal, as well as various smaller infrastructural projects on many offshore islands. As the Deputy knows, I obtained an increase of some 30 per cent in funding for the offshore islands for 1999.
As I have already indicated to this House, it is my intention to address the needs of our islands as promised in An Action Programme for the Millennium. In co-operation with the appropriate local authorities', plans are under way to provide improved access facilities for those island communities which do not have adequate access facilities at present. This strategy includes the provision of airstrips on some islands with larger populations. Plans are also being made in conjunction with Mayo County Council for the provision of a cablecar facility between the island of Inishbiggle, County Mayo and the mainland. It is also my intention to continue to fund smaller infrastructural projects on offshore islands.
