Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

My next question might be slightly at odds with my first question, where I pushed the witnesses for a deadline. The context within which this plan has been drawn up has completely changed from when the work was begun. For good and for ill, everybody can clearly see the challenges faced by island communities but the pandemic may have presented opportunities for remote working. Both Deputy Ó Cuív and I have been heavily involved in the Bille teanga. The recruitment targets in the Bille teanga are a huge opportunity for Gaeltacht islands if we figure out how to decentralise that work.

Traditionally, on the islands there was a need for physical connectivity and it is absolutely essential. Increasingly, the Department is now talking about digital connectivity. Therefore, we need to ensure that the quality of the broadband that goes into the islands is fit for purpose in terms of allowing people to engage in remote working.

In her opening statement, Ms Nic Aongusa talked about "incorporating actions relating to improving connectivity, transport links, education, job creation and fully exploiting the potential for tourism". I contend that climate and renewables are missing from her list. Obviously climate change is having a huge impact on the islands so there is now a massive opportunity for renewables. Last week, at this committee's meeting, it was mentioned that we should have a renewable energy master plan for each individual island with which I agree. I believe that is true for transport as well. In terms of a circular economy, the islands could be a great test bed for renewables and decarbonised transport. The islands can play a central role in developing such technologies.

The islands present a massive opportunity for e-healthcare. Before the committee started I watched the documentary called "Inis Airc: Bás Oileáin", which was recommended to the committee by Mr. Simon Murray last week. One of the death blows for the population on Inis Airc was that one of the people died without access to a doctor or a priest. One would hope with progress and e-healthcare that nobody in any corner of the country would not have access to a doctor even if that is virtually in the case of severe weather.

The other thing that jumped out from last week is housing and how difficult the housing situation is on the islands. Does the Department have a good overview of the existing built stock? Much of it is perhaps vacant or derelict, with a lot of it being used short term as summer houses or whatever. Then there is the difficulty in raising the existing built stock to what we would consider modern energy standards and the difficulty in getting materials out onto the islands. Does the Department have a clear overview of the existing built stock between things that need to be refurbished etc. and the level of demand for housing on the islands? How much of a mismatch is there, and how can we address that shortfall? I assume it is a shortfall.

Returning to the theme of remote working and maybe remote learning, one of the things we have seen in the education sector, in primary but particularly, I think, in secondary, has been the ability of children and students to engage digitally. Is there an opportunity in that for the islands in providing a broader choice of subjects for people attending secondary school on the islands? One of the problems is access to teachers. As well as having remote working hubs, if we had blended learning hubs on the islands, would that offer greater choice to students on the islands and perhaps help maintain a population and a demographic that is very often lost, namely, island commuters?