Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 April 2023
54. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the forthcoming islands strategy; when the strategy will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19545/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI ask the Minister provide an update on the forthcoming islands strategy, when the strategy will be published and if she will make a statement on the matter.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Government is committed to publishing an islands policy in line with the programme for Government commitment, as well as commitments made in Our Rural Future. The process of developing the policy has taken longer than I would like. However, I am determined to take the time necessary to get it right. That is no more than our island communities deserve, because it is more than 25 years since the Government last published an islands development policy. I received an initial draft of the policy before Christmas and, since then, officials from my Department have been engaging very intensively with colleagues across all Departments and agencies to tie down firm commitments and agree robust actions to be taken over the next three years.
It goes without saying that any islands policy must be developed in consultation with island communities. As the Deputy will be aware, an extensive public consultation process took place as part of the development of this policy. Since then, officials from my Department have remained in contact with the islands representative body, Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann. They met with them in recent weeks to discuss the draft policy, its strategic objectives, timelines and the next steps in the process. I am pleased that the policy and accompanying action plan is nearing completion and I expect to present it to Government for approval in the coming weeks. This is an issue the Leas-Cheann Comhairle has raised with me on a number of occasions. We are very close to having it finished. Then, it will have to be translated and I will have to bring it to Government.
That will be very welcome. This has been raised on many occasions by Deputy Kerrane, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and many other Deputies. It will be very welcome to hear that we are at the final stages. There had been a concern that some of the people who have been involved in the process had not really heard much. Again, it is welcome to hear that they have been contacted in the past couple of weeks and that process is now nearing conclusion. What are we talking about in terms of a timeline?
We are talking about a matter of weeks. I want a policy that, when it is launched, can be used to hold other Departments to account. I do not want a pile of flowery language. I have said this previously; I want time-bound actions in order that when Departments say they are going to do something, I will be able to hold them to account.
In fairness, in both my Departments, I have shown a commitment to the islands. I was the first Minister for Social Protection for many years to increase the islands allowance in my first budget. There has been a long-running issue there with roads in County Donegal. I worked with the island community there and with Donegal County Council. The roads on some of the islands have been transformed. If the Deputy gets a chance to go to the lighthouse on Arranmore, the community will tell him the difference that has made.
I have established a special dedicated funding stream, Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais, CLÁR, which is for island communities. This year, I have ring-fenced funding under the local improvement scheme for the islands. We have developed remote working hubs on a number of the islands with funding from my Department. We will continue to improve life on the islands, but the policy is important.
Hopefully, this will be the last time we will see this issue on the agenda. We can look forward to it in the next couple of weeks. I suppose the commitment is that the next time we have questions and answers that the report will be published.
Yes, and I am trying to do my best in my Department. As part of the new policy, I want other Ministers to do the same. I told the Deputy what I have been trying to do. I want to use this policy to hold the other Departments to account. It has to be a whole-of-government policy and that includes housing, health and education. Those are some of the key Departments from which we need strong commitments in this strategy. This will be first islands policy in 26 years, as all Members will be aware. I want to get it right.
As I said, my officials engaged with representatives of Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann. We told them we would bring this Government very shortly. They are happy to see that we are making progress on this. It might take a couple of weeks longer than I had initially thought. I thought I would have it by the end of this month, but it is better to make sure we get it right. We must have an action plan that clearly sets out what we want to achieve, when we are going to achieve it and who is going to do it.
I let the Minister run over time.
I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.
