Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that it is now open. In the previous discussion that Deputy Ó Laoghaire may have had, it might not have been officially launched. If I am correct, I think it was launched in July. It is a really good idea. I notice the ring-fenced projects for the offshore island communities. As the Minister knows, we had an historic moment last Friday when we were on Árainn Mhór for the first committee meeting on the islands, which was broadcast live. It was extremely warmly welcomed by the islanders themselves. Something that really caught me in the couple of days I spent on Árainn Mhór was the need for investment, especially relating to dereliction. There seems to be a lot of dereliction on that island. There is not on others. There is a brilliant, vibrant community there who use their own resources and skills to build brilliant community initiatives. I noticed the plaza they had on the beach. It was absolutely fantastic. It is a huge addition to the community.

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