Vol. 513 No. 3
87 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if her attention has been drawn to the recommendations in the recent report, A Policy for Ireland's Offshore Islands; her response, if any, to this report; if she accepts the recommendations; and if a programme will be put in place to have the recommendations implemented. [2361/00]
I assume this question refers to the recently published policy document Beyond the Edge – Women on Offshore Islands prepared by Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann under the employment NOW initiative.
I have examined the document in question which contains a number of useful recommendations. My Department has already been in contact with relevant Government Departments and agencies – under the auspices of the interdepartmental committee for the Islands, the Gaeltacht and the Irish language – concerning some of the issues raised in this document. My Department, in co-ordination with the relevant authorities and through the interdepartmental committee will continue to make every effort to ensure access for island communities to the services mentioned in this document, at equal cost to mainland communities. It is also my intention to arrange a meeting with the authors of the document in the near future.
