Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
68. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she is committed to ensuring that an interdepartmental committee meets every three months to review projects and targets included as part of the Our Living Islands policy, and that there will be representatives from the islands on the committee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28310/23]
View answerThis relates to the subcommittee. I understand that a question has already been asked about it but I ask the Minister to detail that initially.
I thank the Deputy for raising this matter.
I was delighted to publish Our Living Islands, the national islands policy last week. The commitments in the policy will be delivered progressively over its lifetime and implementation will be underpinned by three-year action plans, the first of which I also published last week alongside the policy.
A whole-of-government approach has been taken in the development of the Our Living Islands and a co-ordinated and cohesive approach in a range of Departments will be required for its implementation. The publication and implementation of this policy was a key commitment in Our Rural Future and its implementation will be overseen within the same framework. Oversight will be carried out by the Cabinet committee on the economy and investment, chaired by the Taoiseach and supported by a senior officials group. Progress reports on implementation will be provided to the Cabinet committee as appropriate, alongside the periodical reports on Our Rural Future.
The Government recognises that people who live on the islands are key participants in the development and delivery of initiatives to develop their own communities. This policy, therefore, is underpinned by the principle of engagement by island communities in its implementation and monitoring. In that context, a monitoring committee, chaired by my Department, will be established, to which I will appoint representatives of the island communities. It is my intention the committee will meet regularly. Its role will be to engage with key Departments, agencies and local authorities in respect of progress on implementation and report periodically to me and the relevant Cabinet committee. I will look for representatives from Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann and Comhar na nOileán. It is important they are represented on it.
Moreover, I want to ensure there will be a geographical spread. This is a living document and-----
I thank the Minister but her time is up.
Tá cúpla ceist agam i dtéarmaí cén bhealach a n-oibreoidh sé go díreach. Cén uair a bheas an fochoiste ag casadh ar a chéile? Sin í an chéad cheist. Cén bhealach a n-oibreoidh sé leis na hionadaithe ó na hoileáin? An mbeidh toghchán ann nó an mbeidh daoine ainmnithe? Cé mhéad ionadaithe ó na hoileáin a bheas i gceist? Táim sásta go bhfuil an tAire ag rá go mbeidh ionadaithe ó na hoileáin éagsúla ionas go mbeadh na tuairimí sin á gcur in iúl.
I have a few questions on the monitoring committee. I welcome it and think it is important we have a specific focus on the islands. This is a matter I have raised frequently with the Minister. When will the monitoring committee meet and how will it work with the representatives of the islands? It is good that, as the Minister suggested, it will cover several of the islands. How many of them will be represented? Will the representatives be elected among themselves or will the Minister nominate people? How will it work?
I launched the strategy only last week. I will engage with islanders and there will be representation on the interdepartmental group. They have welcomed it. As I was about to say earlier, this is a living document and, as with any policy, it can change. I want to hear from islanders on the interdepartmental group at which they will be represented, regarding what is working and how we can make it better and how we can change what is not working. As I said, the strategy was launched only last week. I want to ensure there will be a good geographical spread and to look at the best way to achieve that. It has been welcomed by the island communities, who will be at the table. They will be there, along with representatives of the other Departments, and we will hear from them. I insisted that islanders be at the table because they know what is happening on the ground. I will have further details shortly, given I launched the strategy only last Wednesday, and I will be happy to hear the Deputy's views on the matter.
Tá cúpla rud maith ansin. Tá sé fíorthábhachtach go mbeadh ionadaithe ón bpobal agus ó na hoileáin air mar tuigeann siad cén bhealach atá sé a bheith i do chónaí ar oileán chuile lá beo. Tá a fhios againn go bhfuil easpa infreastruchtúir cuí ar na hoileáin, ach go háirithe na céibheanna, agus tá mé ag smaoineamh ar chéibh Inis Meáin. Scríobh mé chuig an Aire faoi chasadh leis an ngrúpa atá ag feachtasaíocht i gcomhair chéibh Inis Meáin. Luaim céibh Inis Oírr chomh maith. Tá an t-airgead ann agus caithimid a chinntiú go bhfuilimid in ann é sin a bhrú ar aghaidh chomh sciobtha agus is féidir.
I welcome the Minister's response and am delighted she pushed for representation from the island community, given it is only islanders who know the real-life impact of living on an island. We know about the lack of adequate infrastructure, and there are a few issues in that regard. We have discussed Inisheer and Inishmaan several times, and I wrote to the Minister in regard to getting in the Inis Meáin group to meet representatives of the Department, which would be important. There is money for Inisheer, which is welcome, but we need to push it to make sure it will get over the line as soon as possible in order that we can get the work started.
I am well aware of these issues, given I visited the islands within the past year or two. I walked the pier and I know all about the matter. There have been the first two phases of the Inis Meáin project, as we know, and the simulation has now finished. I wanted to make that clear because it took a long time, given these waves cause problems. When the second phase began, a problem was discovered with the waves. It is now a matter for Galway County Council, which is to put together a business case. When I receive that business case, I will go to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and get the money to build the pier. This has been ongoing for years and I am well aware of it. I am committed to making sure the pier will be completed in due course.
In the meantime, I have ring-fenced money from the various schemes in my Department that will go to the islands. Moreover, the Croí Cónaithe top-up of 20% will be welcome because it means there will be additional funding for people who want to renovate old or vacant buildings on the islands.
