Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To give some background to the selection process, in 2015 an open call for expressions of interest was launched by the then Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government from any group that could show broad local and community participation and wished to develop a local development strategy and be considered as a local action group for the purpose of the delivery of Leader in its respective area. This was stage 1 of the application process. Entities successful at stage 1 were invited to prepare a local development strategy and were provided with funding and a comprehensive template to assist with the developing the local development strategy. As part of the second stage in a number of subregional areas, including Galway, local development strategies were submitted by more than one interested party. The second stage of the process was managed by Pobal on behalf of the Department.

To be clear, the local development strategies for each of the 28 subregional areas were assessed by a national selection committee chaired by Dr. Tommy Cook of the Dublin Institute of Technology and included representatives from the then Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Department of Agriculture Food and Marine, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Limerick Institute of Technology, Teagasc, Enterprise Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. While the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs was represented on the national selection committee, the Minister had no authority over the committee nor any role in the selection process. I understand that the islands were not grouped together as regions because they were decided on the basis of the local community development committees structure so that the local development strategies were aligned to the local economic and community plans. In Cork, there were three local community development committees so three subregional areas were put in place.

I will not get into the issue around Galway rural development, which is a different issue about east Galway, about which I will speak later. I am clear about the good work of Comhar na nOileán and have received strong representations from my colleagues, including the Minister of State, Deputy Kyne, about the importance of Comhar na nOileán from an islands perspective.

This is separate from the Leader programme. It is from an islands perspective. I am trying to be as supportive as I can in terms of my wider remit regarding the islands and the Gaeltacht. I will continue to work with them.