Ms Aisling Moran:

I thank my two colleagues in Comhar na nOileán. I have been fortunate and unfortunate enough to be part of both of the Leader funding scheme when the islands were regarded as one lot and when they were divided up. Ms Uí Mhaoláin spoke eloquently about this. From a Cork island perspective, I see the benefits hand over fist of having Comhar na nÓileán deliver that programme. It comes back to the point that while we are all representing islands they are all different. The project workers in Comhar na nOileán understand the difficulties and challenges islanders might have in applying for or accessing funding. Not other company would have the capabilities to have that understanding and to deliver on that. It stretches Comhar na nÓileán to have to deal with the local community development committees, LCDCs, across the four regions. I wholeheartedly believe the islands need to be regarded as one lot under the new LEADER funding. For the islands to be sustainable and vibrant into the future, that decision needs to be made at a national level and put out to tender.

With respect to energy issues, having a cable and the capital funds to provide that are definitely important. We struggle to understand the lack of joined-up thinking. In the case of two of the Cork islands, and Sherkin Island in particular which is where I work, there is a fibre cable but we cannot get it connected. We are fighting to get it connected. Eir laid a fibre after Storm Ophelia a few years ago. We have a fibre subsea cable which we cannot get connected. On Bere Island there are people willing to lay the cable but they cannot get a service provider to deliver it. Those are two examples, one, where fibre is available and for some reason it cannot be connected and the other where we have encountered a stumbling block. It is vital we are supported at national level in having cables laid and connected. Hopefully, that would improve our communications.

Renewable energy is the way forward. There is an EU islands secretariat for clean energy and we are part of that. Regarding climate change and the resources islands have to produce renewable energy, we must be forward thinking in terms of a cable to outsource renewable energy if we are seriously thinking about the future of the islands.

On the small works programme, we are very lucky in the Cork islands and I would highlight the positives. The Cork islands have a matched funding programme with the local authority for some of the small roads. We see the benefits of that hand over fist. That should not be dependent on matching funding being provided by the authority in Cork. This should be happening on all of the islands. They all should be treated equally. As is said in our locality, a rising tide should lift all boats. If we are getting a small amount of funding, all the other local authorities should be engaged with the islands in that manner to provide funding for works to roads. An increase in that funding is definitely required.

Funding is needed for the social structures we lack and we continually seek to improve them with the capital works programme. For example, Roonagh Pier and other piers need to be upgraded. Piers need to be constantly upgraded. They should remain on the agenda on health and safety ground as there is wear and tear on the islands all the time. By the time Roonagh Pier is upgraded another island will need its pier upgraded. That is just part of island life and we need to accept that if we are going to embrace the islands as part of Ireland as we go forward. Making the case for that should not be a battle. The approach should not be that the pier was upgraded ten years ago. People need to replace their cars every few years. As piers suffer wear and tear, they need to be upgraded. The boats are getting bigger and there are many different challenges. We need to take a realistic approach to the way we maintain that vital infrastructure.

The education issue is tricky. I would love to engage with the Department of Education. Childcare provision is definitely needed. The challenges in terms of education are different on each island. We need to engage with interested parties and the Department of Education on access to education, getting teachers into schools on the islands, the transport issue, subject choices, blended learning and childcare provision.

We have to look after the children of the islands. They literally are the future. That has to be part of the policy. Earlier, I referenced meaningful consultation and engagement. Ms Ní Ghoill also referenced implementation and that engagement with islanders needs to be meaningful. We have to decide if we are in this or not. We are definitely in it.

Mr. Murray might want to add some details on the capital funding programmes and any other issues I might have missed.