Vol. 549 No. 3
349 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the extent of the study being carried out by the development officer of the Irish Islands Federation on the extra cost associated with living on the islands; and if business and farm interests on all the islands have been or are being consulted in relation to this study. [6880/02]
The study currently being carried out by the development officer of the Irish Islands Federation is limited to ascertaining the extra passenger and cargo transport costs associated with living on the islands. It is expected that this study, which commenced in mid-2001, will be completed in early April 2002 and its results will then be forwarded to my Department for consideration.
It is not intended to consult business and farm interests on the islands as part of this study as its scope is quite limited and will involve, in general, consultation only with those who run scheduled ferry services, both subsidised and non-subsidised, between the islands and the mainland.
