Jim O'Keeffe
Question:138 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his proposals to deal with the additional living costs of those who live on our offshore inhabited islands. [8344/03]
Written Answers - Offshore Islands.
The Deputy will be aware that a key aspect of my Department's work is the co-ordination of Government policy on the islands. This is mainly achieved through the work of the interdepartmental committee for the islands and resulting bilateral contacts with other Departments. Among the positive outcomes achieved through this forum, which have had the effect of reducing the cost of living on the islands, are: an extra €12.70 per week for islanders over age 66 who are in receipt of various categories of Department of Social and Family Affairs payments, payment of which was announced in Budget 2000; a special rate of €66 in respect of road tax for island cars which was introduced with effect from 1 April 2001; the introduction by the Department of Education and Science since September 2001 of a significant increase, from €2,539 to €3,809, in the level of remote area boarding grant payable in respect of island children attending secondary school on the mainland; and an extra €12.70 per week for islanders under age 66 who are in receipt of various categories of Department of Social and Family Affairs payment which was announced in Budget 2002.
In recognition of the extra construction costs incurred by islanders, in 1999 my Department's new house grant available to eligible Gaeltacht island applicants was increased from €7,618 to €15,300, while in 2000 the house improvement grant on such islands was increased from €4,380 to €15,300. As the Deputy will appreciate, these increases have helped considerably in offsetting the additional costs involved in constructing or improving houses on the Gaeltacht islands.
On transport costs incurred by islanders, my Department, in 2002, paid a total of €2.1million in subsidies towards the provision of ferry and air services to the islands. The benefit of these subsidies is in providing guaranteed scheduled services throughout the year and in helping to ensure that the services are available at a reasonable cost to islanders. While considerable progress has been made to date in reducing the cost of living on the islands, it is my intention to continue to examine ways of making further progress in this regard.
Question No. 139 answered with Question No. 108.
Question No. 140 answered with Question No. 105.
Question No. 141 answered with Question No. 108.