Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 May 2022
45. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 84 of 5 April 2022, the status of the new policy for the Islands; if the in-person meetings on the islands have taken place to date; if she has received the draft of the policy document to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27784/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Government is committed to publishing a 10 year policy on island development with associated three year action plans.
My Department has completed the bilateral meetings with all relevant Government Departments. These bilateral meetings have provided an opportunity for detailed discussion of the issues raised by island communities and for Departments to assess how they might help address the various issues raised.
The public consultation meetings have also been completed. Due to Covid-19 it was not possible for officials to visit a number of islands and the public consultation meetings were moved to an on-line format. However some island communities did not wish to engage with on-line meetings, preferring to wait for public consultation meetings to be held on their islands.
The final consultation meetings were held on Toraigh Island, Co. Donegal and Clare Island, Co. Mayo earlier this month. Senior officials from my Department were in attendance at these meetings and engaged with the island communities on the issues of concern to them.
The most recent meeting of the Interdepartmental Committee for the Islands was held on 18 May, where participating Departments reviewed progress on the policy development and agreed the next steps to be taken.
Work has begun on an initial draft of the policy document and I understand that, based on the development work to date, an initial draft is expected to be ready for my consideration by the end of summer.
