Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 Jul 1996

Vol. 468 No. 1

Written Answers. - Island Habitation.

Bertie Ahern

Ceist:

10 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Taoiseach if he will publish the number of inhabitants on each of Ireland's inhabited islands at normal times and at peak visitor periods; and his policy for coping with any resulting undesirable effects. [14035/96]

The Taoiseach

The recent report of the Inter-Departmental Co-ordinating Committee on Island Development clearly identifies and addresses the longterm issues affecting the communities on our offshore islands. As chairman of the co-ordinating committee, I am responsible for co-ordinating the Government's response to the recommendations of the report.

The report provides a strategic framework within which the various Departments and agencies involved can reexamine existing policies relating to the economic and social development of island communities, clarify objectives in relation to the services being provided to these communities and formulate new policies accordingly.

Specific recommendations have been made in the report in relation to the essential services available on islands and the key sectors for island development. The essential services outlined in the report include access, infrastructure, education, health and energy supply and communications. The key sectors identified include agriculture, fishing / aquaculture, information technology and tourism.

The development of access services to offshore islands was identified in the report as the priority issue. The Government has allocated an additional £1 million in 1996, which will be made available to the local authorities on the basis of programmes of work which have been submitted.

I expect to be in a position shortly to make a number of announcements regarding the allocation of funding to the local authorities, and I have no doubt that the resulting improvements to access services will ease some of the difficulties experienced by the seasonal influx of visitors.

The most recent official figures on island population have been taken from the 1991 census which was held on 21 April, 1991. The available figures are indicated in the following table. No official figures are available to indicate the number of inhabitants on islands at peak visitor periods.

As well as identifying priority access works for 1996, the local authorities have been asked to draw up longer term programmes of work for the next three or four years which will take account of other infrastructural and service requirements of the islands. Over the next few years, therefore, I believe that the islands will be in a much better position to deal with the effects of seasonal population growth.

The Interdepartmental Co-ordinating Committee on Island Development in its report accepts that tourism is of crucial importance to the economic and social development of the islands. However, it is concerned with the need to maintain a balance between the number of tourists, the seasonality of the industry and the need to preserve the integrity of island language, culture and environment.

The report also accepts that the infrastructure must cater for the needs of the ever growing number of visitors, particularly in areas such as water, services, waste management and roads.

The committee has been mandated to oversee the implementation of the report over the coming three years. This will be done in consultation with individual Government Departments, agencies and organisations under the aegis of the committee and in particular, with An Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann, the Islands' Federation.

One of the main recommendations of the report in terms of the tourism sector, is that a study should be commissioned by the committee, in consultation with Bord Fáilte, regional tourism organisations, Údarás na Gaeltachta and An Comhdháil, to explore the potential of this sector further. At a recent meeting between the committee and An Comhdháil, preliminary discussions took place on this matter and I expect to be in a position to report progress on this tourism study over the coming months.

Population of inhabited islands off the coast

County	Island	District Electoral Division	1986	1991
Persons	Persons	Males	Females
Clare	Inishmore (or Deer)	Ballynacally	2	1	—	1
Cork	Ballycottin	Ballycottin	3	4	4	—
	Bear	Bear	230	216	119	97
	Clear	Cape Clear	145	132	79	53
	Dursey	Kilnamanagh	20	20	13	7
	Garinish	Kilcaskan	2	1	—	1
	Haulbowline	Cobh Rural	466	307	265	42
	Inchydoney	Clonakilty Rural	106	109	58	51
	Inishbeg	Skibbereen Rural	19	17	10	7
	Inishodriscol (or Ilare)	Aghadown South	19	22	12	10
	Long	Skull	18	11	6	5
	Ringarogy	Cape Clear	75	71	34	37
	Sherkin	Cape Clear	87	93	53	40
	Spike	Cobh Rural	60	113	113	—
	Whiddy	Whiddy	41	34	19	15
Donegal	Aran	Aran	735	596	310	286
	Aughnish	Rathmelton	7	6	4	2
	Cruit	Rutland	89	77	36	41
	Inishbofin	Gortahork	6	3	3	—
	Inishfree Upper	Maghery	17	19	12	7
	Island Roy	Rosguill	13	13	9	4
	Tory	Moonaclady	136	119	65	54
Dublin County Borough	North Bull	Clontarf East	30	26	16	10
Dublin-Fingal	Lambay	Donabate	10	8	4	4
Galway	Annaghvaan	Lettermore	90	103	57	46
	Furnace	Gorumna	64	56	33	23
	Gorumna	Gorumna	1,080	1,082	563	519
	Illaunmore	Turlough	4	2	2	—
	Inchaghaun	Lettermore	3	1	1	—
	Inishbarra	Lettermore	1	1	1	—
	Inishbofin	Inishbofin	177	181	111	70
	Inisheer	Inishmore	255	270	158	112
	Inisheltia	Turlough	3	3	3	—
	Inishmaan	Inishmore	236	216	127	89
	Inishmore	Inishmore	848	836	425	411
	Inishnee	Roundstone	74	47	23	24
	Inishtravin	Owengowla	7	4	2	2
	Lettermore	Lettermore	542	508	260	249
	Lettermullan	Gorumna	211	196	111	85
	Mweenish	Knockboy	170	149	82	67
	Omey	Sillerna	12	12	5	7
	Rossroe	Crumpaun	26	28	12	16
	Rusheennacholla	Knockboy	7	4	3	1
Kerry	Beginish	Castlequin	2	5	4	1
	Carrig	Carrig	11	8	5	3
	Dinish	Dawros	6	5	3	2
	Great Blasket	Dunquin	4	4	1	3
	Rossmore	Tahilla	7	7	5	2
	Tarbert	Tarbert	17	17	8	9
	Valencia	Valencia	666	680	371	309
Mayo	Achill	Achill	3,161	2,802	1,366	1,436
Dooega
Slievemore
	Clare	Clare Island	140	137	78	59
	Clynish	Kilmeena	3	5	3	2
	Collan More	Kilmeena	—	5	4	1
	Inishbiggle	Achill	69	51	36	15
	Inishcottle	Kilmeena	10	10	5	5
	Inishgort	Kilmeena	3	2	1	1
	Inishlyre	Kilmeena	7	6	4	2
	Inishnakillew	Kilmeena	7	7	5	2
	Inishturk	Clare Island	90	78	43	35
Sligo	Inishmulclohy (or Coney Island)	Knockaree	6	5	2	3
Wexford	Bannow	Bannow	8	7	3	4
	Saltee Island Great	Kilmore	—	6	5	1
	Tuskar Rock	Lady's Island	3	5	5	—