Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 January 2019
701. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans in place to bring forward legislation on island-proofing at all levels of policy making in view of the 68% decline in the population of offshore islands during the period 1926 to 2016. [2810/19]
View answerAs Minister with responsibility for the islands, I note with regret the decline in the population of our offshore islands. I believe the reason for this to be multi-layered and not attributable to any one cause.
Undoubtedly, socio-economic factors are a contributor to this decline and this was particularly identified in the report of the Inter-departmental Committee on Island Development - A Strategic Framework for the Development of Ireland's Islands from 1996 under the Department of the Taoiseach.
This report pointed to below standard access infrastructure for the islands - both transport and pier infrastructure - as significant elements of this. It is in this context that my Department has invested heavily in pier infrastructure and in ferry and air transport services in the last two decades. This work continues. In addition to other projects, my Department, under the islands programme will oversee four significant projects under the National Development Plan, Project Ireland 2040.
In combination with policies that are being implemented by other state bodies in the areas of health, education and community development I believe that there is a de facto island proofing already in place and further legislation is not required at this time. However, it is an area that my Department commits to keeping under review.
