Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2024
45. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 97 of 30 January 2024, the status of the monitoring committee for the implementation of the new policy for the islands; the dates of all meetings to date; the date of the next meeting; her plans to publish the minutes of the meetings of the committee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10398/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraBaineann mo cheist le polasaí na n-oileán agus an coiste faoi leith atá ann chun monatóireacht a dhéanamh ar na céimeanna atá sa pholasaí sin agus iad a chur chun cinn. I know the Minister has followed up on this in respect of the policy she published for the islands after a long time, and I thank her for that. The first task force was set up in 1996 and it took up to last year to get the policy, so then you set up a monitoring committee. Where are we at with that in terms of meetings and actions?
As the Deputy will be aware, I launched Our Living Islands - the National Island Policy 2023-2033 in June of last year. Our Living Islands is a substantial document, a ten-year policy backed up by rolling three-year action plans. It has time-bound commitments so that Departments and agencies across Government can be held to account for its implementation. Following the publication of the policy, I established a monitoring committee, chaired by my Department, to engage with key Departments, agencies and local authorities regarding progress on implementation of the action plan. The committee includes six representatives of the island communities, nominated by Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann, along with a representative of Comhar na nOileán, the local development company for the islands. The committee also includes representatives of Departments and State bodies which have key roles in the delivery of the policy and action plan.
The inaugural meeting of the monitoring committee took place on 7 December 2023, and the next meeting will be held in Galway tomorrow, Wednesday, 6 March. Updates will be provided at tomorrow's meeting on progress on the action plan, particularly on those actions with a timeline of Quarter 3 or Quarter 4 2023. The terms of reference and membership of the monitoring committee have been published on the Our Living Islands website on gov.ie. They reflect the Government's commitment to ensuring that island communities are key participants in the process. Minutes of the monitoring committee meetings will also be published on the Our Living Islands web page once they have been agreed.
I welcome the fact that the minutes will be published. That is a good exercise in openness and accountability. We have waited so long for the policy for the islands, since 1996, and there have been many false starts. The implementation of that policy is the key. Are two meetings a year enough? I understand from the terms of reference that the monitoring committee will meet twice a year. Maybe if I am wrong the Minister will correct me. How close are we to getting those actions that are identified for Quarter 2 and 3? Will they be carried out?
The monitoring committee will meet at least twice in the full year, typically in spring and autumn. The committee may appoint subcommittees from time to time to discuss particular items as necessary. Members will be invited to submit items for inclusion on the agenda, which will be circulated in advance, and minutes will be kept at each meeting and circulated to members in advance of the next meeting. The relevant stakeholders may be invited to attend meetings of the committee or subcommittees to provide information relating to the implementation of specific actions. Indeed you are right, Deputy, it took 26 years to get to this. It is something that you raised with me on many occasions and in fairness I think it was positively received by the islands committee when I launched the policy last year. Both my Departments have shown commitment to the islands, the Department of Social Protection with the island allowance that had not been increased in years, and the ring-fenced money under the local improvement scheme and specific funding for islands under the CLÁR scheme. There has been work done but we need to keep their toes to the fire.
It is definitely positive but I will come back to the utter failure to progress the health centre on Inishbofin and the simple transfer of land that is no longer simple and is taking years. We know the population of the islands has decreased in comparison to the Scottish islands, where there has been an increase in population. The Scots have a strong policy for the islands based in legislation. We do not have such legislation. We have made a start with a policy but not the implementation of the policy. I and my colleagues from Galway, Deputies Ó Cuív and Mairéad Farrell, have pushed and pushed in relation to Céibh an Córa, An Caladh Mór - which has been going on since 2008; I will come back to that - and Inis Oírr pier, on which some progress has been made. Not much progress has been made since 2008 on An Caladh Mór on Inis Meáin. We have got past two stages. Again, we really need to see the reporting mechanism back to the Minister. From day one, she said she would keep a hands-on approach to this.
I try to meet the islands communities at the Comhdháil na nOileán AGM if I can. I was not able to do so last year but I hope to do so this year. I like to see action, just as Deputy Connolly does.
Some good things have happened on the islands. Last week, I announced the largest ever expansion of Ireland's national walks scheme with 62 new trails, across 17 counties. This includes five trails on two offshore islands, namely, Inis Meáin and Oileán Chléire. Separately, high-speed broadband has been delivered to broadband connection points, the digital hubs and schools on the islands, under the national broadband plan. Moreover, the nationwide road safety education service delivered four presentations to schools on islands in 2023. The Croí Cónaithe grant with the top-up from my Department has allowed a good few applications to be made for people to build houses on the islands. I will come back to the Deputy with the number. These will make a difference. As I said, I want to see progress on the islands, in the same way as Deputy Connolly does.
