Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, Galway County Council is the responsible authority for the maintenance and development of pier infrastructure on the Aran Islands, including Inis Meáin.

There are regular meetings between officials from my department and Galway County Council to discuss and monitor the pier development in Inis Oírr and Inis Meáin. The last meeting was held on 16 April.

At that meeting, the officials discussed a document prepared by the County Council to appoint consultants to look at all possible options for providing safe harbour facilities on Inis Meáin. This process must be completed in accordance with the Government's Infrastructure Guidelines and Public Expenditure Requirements, published in December 2023.

The Department gave approval to the County Council in April to start the tender process to appoint consultants to undertake that work.

My Department and Galway County Council agree that there will be clear engagement with island representatives and the independent consultant to be appointed, ensuring that the entire community has input into the process.

My Department will continue to engage with Galway County Council to ensure the process is progressed without delay and a consultant appointed as quickly as possible.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, Galway County Council is the responsible authority for the maintenance and development of pier infrastructure on the Aran Islands, including Inis Meáin.

There are regular meetings between officials from my department and Galway County Council to discuss and monitor the pier development in Inis Oírr and Inis Meáin. The last meeting was held on 16 April.

At that meeting, the officials discussed a document prepared by the County Council to appoint consultants to look at all possible options for providing safe harbour facilities on Inis Meáin. This process must be completed in accordance with the Government's Infrastructure Guidelines and Public Expenditure Requirements, published in December 2023.

The Department gave approval to the County Council in April to start the tender process to appoint consultants to undertake that work.

My Department and Galway County Council agree that there will be clear engagement with island representatives and the independent consultant to be appointed, ensuring that the entire community has input into the process.

It is not possible at this early stage to give a timeline for the processes that will have to be gone through, but my Department will continue to engage with Galway County Council to ensure the process is progressed without delay and a consultant appointed as quickly as possible.