Mr. Fintan O'Brien:

To reiterate my original point, what the islands policy commits to in terms of Government policy is the roll-out of the NBP. Colleagues have given an update on the expediting of some dates and moving them forward as quickly as possible, which is important.

On the Department’s approach to capital funding for islands, the Deputy will be well aware there are a number of major capital projects under the NDP relating to piers in Inis Oírr, Inis Meáin and Donegal. There are minor capital works delivered on a co-funding basis with local authorities. There is a degree of flexibility in that. It is not a scheme I run, but I understand funding for it was of the order of €4.1 million in 2022.

More widely, we are trying with capital funding on islands, while there is dedicated funding, to ensure there is a wider package of supports for islands. While we are focusing on broadband today, a couple of things are happening that are relevant to ring-fencing priority for islands in things like the local improvement scheme, CLÁR and town and village renewal. We see them as a package with connectivity, broadband, piers, minor capital works and so on. We are trying to develop that at the moment. There has been prioritisation within the roll-out of the NBP, which the island’s policy commits to, and then there is what we are doing with our capital funding as well. I am not sure if that answers the question.