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

I thank the Chairman and Deputy Ó Cuív. I will pass the community services programme, CSP, question to my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien. In the meantime I will try to answer other questions the Deputy has raised with me.

He mentioned CLÁR. As he and I know, it is a great source of funding to help local communities in depopulated areas. Since it was relaunched in 2016 after being closed for a good while, it has approved funding of almost €39 million for over 1,600 projects throughout rural Ireland. I take on board the Deputy's points about how it could be used as leverage for other funding streams and to put plans in place for other things.

This year I created a new measure to support communities to develop and test new project ideas and encourage them to think outside the box. The current measures include support for schools and outdoor community recreation facilities, which do fantastic work. We all know the projects in our locality that have benefitted. The community well-being measure involves community gardens and allotments, which a lot more people are showing an interest in since lockdown. Mobility and cancer care transport are also available. Another measure involves thinking outside the box and it is for communities to come up with good ideas.

On Clare Island, I want to be clear that my expectation is that the outcome of this tender competition will satisfy the needs of the islanders. Clare Island, above all islands, is one I am familiar with. I spent a few days on it two years ago when attending a wedding. I got a good chance to chat with the local islanders. I was not the Minister with responsibility for the islands at that time, but I listened to them. I fully understand their concerns and challenges they face living on an island. We think we face a lot of challenges living in remote parts of rural Ireland, but it is not half as many challenges as they face living on islands.

The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot comment on this particular procurement process because it is live. I will be very clear that if for any reason it does not meet the required number of sailings per day I will review it and, if necessary, put it out to tender again. We will have to wait until the process finishes. I am happy to meet islanders. In fact, I would love to get over to see them rather than them having to travel all the way to see me. We will see how that goes. There are other ways we can meet now through Zoom etc. I am very conscious of that and I want to find a satisfactory resolution for them.

I take the Deputy's point on Inis Meáin. It is important that communities are involved. Galway County Council is working to progress this project. It is working with the National Maritime College of Ireland, NMCI, to develop a model simulation of the sea conditions in the harbour which will inform the eventual business case for the development. Work has been delayed due to Covid-19 and limited access to the NMCI facility, but the local authority is now working to finalise a date to progress this aspect of the project.

On Inis Oírr, I am familiar with the business plan. The Deputy is more than familiar with it. It was approved in April and the local authority is now moving to tender stage. There are four major projects I have identified in the national development plan, Project Ireland 2040, namely, Inis Oírr, Inis Meáin, the pier going out to Tory Island and the Tory boat. They are all live issues. I am happy to work with the Deputies and communities involved to resolve that. I think I have covered all of those issues.