Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am not a member of the committee but I wish to make a few points. Deputy Ferris touched on the main issue here, which is what is called the track record. It was only in the 2000s that good ferry services were extended to all the islands, so at that time the chances of anyone living on an island working from a base on the mainland were virtually nil. The second reality is that many of the islands did not have sheltered harbours. In the case of County Galway there was nowhere on the two smaller Aran Islands where one could leave a boat. Certainly, most people on the mainland would not call Céibh an Rannaigh, the main fishing pier in Arranmore in County Donegal, a fishing pier. Tory Island did not have a sheltered harbour historically. Basing fishing on track record in the islands, with the exception to a certain extent of Inishmore in the Aran Islands, therefore just does not work. On the other hand, an island is surrounded by the sea.

We all agree that the Bill can be amended technically. I do not believe the proposer of the Bill, Deputy Martin Kenny, has an argument with that. Basically, the big scene ticket in the Bill is that a very small amount of fishing quota would be made available specifically for people living on islands so they do not end up living in a place that is surrounded by water which they cannot access in a way that is reasonable in the modern world. It is not on a large scale - the very large fishermen can compete commercially - but on a far more modest scale, although not to limit it to what a currach can do with the very limited permissions currach operators have. Like everybody else, people wish to move forward a little and have slightly bigger boats and so forth. Under the Bill a limited length of boat would be eligible, so if someone who happens to be on an island has a very big boat, there would be no benefit from the proposal before us. That was purposely done. I was a member of the committee that drew up the initial proposal. What I have heard today, and having looked at the submissions, is that people do not have a problem with this and then they add "but". I always get worried when I hear the word "but". What it means is: "We would not like to tell you that we do not want you to get a share of it, but on the other hand we are going to make damned certain you do not."

I wish to make a final point. In many cases exceptions are made for the islands. The State recognises the unique position of islanders. For example, the pupil-teacher ratio for retention of teachers is much lower on an island than on the mainland because there is no option to go to the next school. Car tax on an island is much smaller in recognition of the fact that most islands only have up to three or four miles of road. There is an extra social welfare payment on the islands for people on invalidity pension, disability allowance and the State pension. Again, that recognises that the islanders must bring all their goods to the island and pay VAT on transferring them to it. The precedent of ring-fencing specifically for islands has been well established for the past ten or 15 years. To be fair, having travelled throughout this island I have never met anybody who begrudged any steps the Oireachtas has taken to try to preserve viable populations on our islands. Ordinary people in cities, towns and the countryside understand that if one wishes to preserve the island one must do something special.

It used to frustrate me when I heard so much talk about the Blasket Islands and the fantastic culture that was there, as recounted by Tomás Ó Criomhthain in An tOileánachand by Peig Sayers. What was there was unique. It is a pity it has gone. Some days we do not seem to be half as concerned, however, that this same culture, language and literary bent is still alive in places like the Aran Islands, Toraigh and elsewhere. When these islands are decimated, the indigenous populations have left them and the language is gone, will we be crying and asking why did we not do something small to keep them viable? That is all we are asking for.