Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 May 2024
23. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 45 of 5 March 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; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20763/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra
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 Government Departments, agencies and local authorities in relation to 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 fist meeting of the Monitoring Committee was held on 7 December 2023. The second and most recent meeting was held in Galway on 6 March.
I understand that the relevant Departments and Agencies provided progress updates at that meeting, particularly in relation to actions with a timeline of Quarter 3 or Quarter 4 of 2023. Progress reports on implementation will be provided to me as Minister and to the Cabinet Committee as appropriate and published alongside the periodical reports on Our Rural Future.
The next meeting of the Monitoring Committee is scheduled for 23 May, following which the minutes of the previous meeting will be published on the Our Living Islands webpage on gov.ie once they have been agreed.
The terms of reference and membership of the Monitoring Committee are also published on gov.ie. They reflect the Government's commitment to ensuring that island communities are key participants in the process.
