Martin Ferris
Question:182 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the ongoing campaign of the Inch Island community, County Donegal to attain island status. [30784/04]
View answerThursday, 25 November 2004
Questions (184)
Written answers
In 2001, an application to grant island status to Inch Island was received by my Department from Donegal County Council. This application was refused in January 2002 on the basis that I had in 2000 already approved a grant, which was subsequently paid, of £26,200, or 50% of the cost, to enable Donegal County Council to raise the level of the causeway serving Inch Island, thereby ensuring the island would be permanently accessible by road.
One of the main criteria for the granting of island status by my Department is that the island concerned must be cut off from the mainland daily by the tide. It is evident that Inch Island no longer satisfies this criterion. It should be noted, however, that my Department has received a further application from Donegal County Council for additional funding to assist with the cost of completing the works in respect of which the above-mentioned grant was approved. These works involve the construction of a stone wall for traffic safety purposes and the completion of a sea wall protecting the causeway. This application is being evaluated in the context of the funding available to me and the competing demands for same.