Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)

Déanaim chomhghairdeas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle ar a thoghadh ar an 30ú Dáil. Tá súil agam go mbainfidh sé sult, taitneamh agus aoibhneas as a sheal sa Chathaoir údarásach sin ina bhfuil sé ina shuí i láthair na huaire. Chomh maith leis sin, déanaim chomhghairdeas leis an Aire ar a athcheapadh i mbun na Roinne. Tá buntáiste amháin le é a athcheapadh go bhfuil leanúnachas i bpolasaí na Roinne fad agus a bheas sé ansin.

Is Bille neamhurchóideach teicniúil é seo. Tá sé de chuspóir aige ord agus eagar a chur ar dhualgais agus freagrachtaí éagsúla na Roinne. De réir mar a thuigim, tháinig an moladh ón Ard-Aighne go dtabharfaí an Bille seo isteach agus go ndéanfaí é sin. Mar sin, is féidir liom a rá ag an tosach nach mbeimid ag cur i gcoinne an Bhille agus go mbeimid ag tabhairt lán-tacaíochta agus comhoibriú dó.

This technical, non-controversial Bill is intended to perform a tidying up exercise at the request of the Attorney General. The legislation was initiated in the Seanad when most Deputies were otherwise engaged, although the Minister probably had to abandon important business in Galway West to attend proceedings in the Seanad. I am not aware what would be constitutional position in the event that the legislation is passed by the new Dáil. Must it go before the current Seanad or a newly constituted Upper House? It may a straightforward matter. Perhaps it will be sent directly to the President for signature if it is passed without amendment in the Dáil this evening.

I accept the need to secure an integrated statutory basis for certain ministerial functions and I am grateful to the Minister and his officials for itemising the functions in question. They include community development, voluntary activity and philanthropy, rural development, the national drugs strategy, teanga na Gaeilge, including the co-ordination of policy in this regard and the development of the Gaeltacht and the Islands, and North-South co-operation — Comhoibriú Thuaidh-Theas — including matters relating to Ulster-Scots heritage, culture and language, in which there is particular interest in parts of my constituency. Appropriate consultation with other Ministers is provided for in the Bill. These are worthy objectives.

Section 3 provides for the inclusion in the Third Schedule in the Freedom of Information Act 1997 of section 18 of the Western Development Commission Act 1998. The effect will be that this provision can no longer be cited as grounds for refusing access to records sought under freedom of information legislation. The previous Government, of which the Minister was an important member, restricted access to information and any provision that makes it easier to obtain information from Departments of State or semi-State bodies is more than welcome.

Section 4 provides for the raising to €1 million of the limit of financial or other material aid to enterprises or projects, which the Western Development Commission can provide without seeking the formal consent of the Minister. Tuigim go bhfuil sé sin fíor cheana féin, chomh fada agus a bhaineann sé le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta. Bhí sé de cheart ag Údarás na Gaeltachta b'fhéidir IR£200,000 a thabhairt, agus tá sé sin imithe suas go dtí thar IR£1 milliún. Má táimid ag déanamh an rud céanna le Coimisiún an Iarthair, tá sé loighciúil agus prataiciúil go ndéanfaí é sin. Cuireann sé iontas orm gurbh é an teorainn a bhí ann go dtí seo ná IR£250,000. Is dóiche go bhfuil sé in am againn aistriú ó phunt go dtí euro, fiú amháin chomh fada agus a bhaineann sé le Coimisiún an Iarthair.

Section 5 enables the Minister to pay subsidies in respect of travel by island students. Baineann sé seo go príomha leis an chás ar Oileán Inis Bó Finne ar chósta na Gaillimhe, ní Inis Bó Finne ar chósta Dhún na nGall. Pupils from Inis Bó Finne do not travel to school on the mainland because they all live on the mainland. I approve of the section.

Is it time to establish post-primary facilities on Inis Bó Finne. Since I entered the House I have seen excellent developments in my constituency regarding provision of post-primary facilities. I recall when former Minister for Education, Gemma Hussey, approved a secondary school for Oileán Árainn Mhóir during the term of the coalition Government of 1983 to 1987. Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada on the island does excellent work. It has won competitions and former pupils have graduated from various universities and travelled to different parts of the world. I remember travelling to the island at the start of my career in the House more than 25 years ago. On Sunday evenings every parent on the island would be at Leadhb Gharbh watching their offspring heading off to spend the week on the mainland. It was a sad sight to behold.

The Minister was probably partly responsible for approving an mheánscoil ar Oileán Thoraí, atá ag dul go maith. I was on the island one Sunday two or three months before the election was called and it was clear that the islanders were proud that, for the first time in many years, young people from the island were graduating from university. Tá múinteoir oilte ar Oileán Thoraí anois a fuair a cuid oideachais agus a bhí in ann teacht ar ais go dtí a hoileán féin le glacadh le cúram na scoile. That is progress.

I do not know what is the position on Inis Bó Finne, although I am sure it has a bunscoil. Perhaps the provision of subsidies to bring pupils from the island to Garbally Park since the closure of St. Jarlath's College is a good idea. However, for the future of the island, its children, their parents and the family unit, we must consider providing a secondary level school on the island.

Section 6 clarifies the Minister's remit in respect of existing and new aerodromes and ancillary facilities. While progress has been made on access to the islands, we are trying to secure airstrips on most islands. At the risk of being parochial, I refer specifically to Oileán Thoraí, with its population of almost 200 souls, which has a primary and post-primary school. Although it has a good ferry service, which I have often used, including a number of times in recent weeks, the island is ideally suited to having an airstrip. I understand land has been identified, negotiations are taking place with the Land Registry and planning permission has already been granted by the local authority, but the situation is dragging on a bit. During the course of the 29th Dáil, more questions were put down by myself and others with regard to the airstrip there than any airstrip on another island. I hope that during the lifetime of this Dáil we will have a functioning airstrip on Oileán Thoraí.

The functions of Arramarra Teoranta have been given over to Údarás na Gaeltachta. The danger is that we would fragment the industrial development agencies. Údarás na Gaeltachta is very well equipped and knows the situation with regard to the Gaeltacht and the islands. Moreover, the handover of the functions of Arramarra has already happened — it is a fait accompli. I agree with this decision.

I am familiar with Arramarra, although it is now located in the Minister's constituency at Cill Chiaráin. Previously, it had a long tradition at Dungloe in my constituency, where it provided employment to people living in coastal communities. When it was transferred to Cill Chiaráin, an undertaking was given that Donegal seaweed farmers would be allowed to send their product to Cill Chiaráin, but we all knew this was a non-runner due to the cost of transport and so on, and that it was just a sop given at the time. However, an industry survives in the Kilcar area which exports seaweed throughout the world for use as fertiliser on golf courses. I am glad there were people with the imagination to fill that vacuum. Perhaps half a dozen people work at that plant, which I visited a number of times recently. At least something is happening as far as seaweed and natural product is concerned.

One of the measures in the Bill refers to drugs. We are all very concerned with what has happened in Cork in recent days. Island people and seafaring people are very observant and have great experience. If we are to tackle the drugs problem, we must harness the co-operation and interest of all. Why should we not have a voluntary core of people, perhaps on the islands, who would be able to report any unusual activity to those who can deal with such activity? We all need to get involved. I am sure the island people would love to have a role to ensure nothing illegal is imported into the country. If we can harness their interest, powers of observation and experience, it would give them a meaningful role.

On some islands the population doubles or trebles during the summer months due to visitors to Irish colleges and so on. It is a great pity there will not be a permanent Garda residence on the islands during those times. There have been a number of incidents on islands in my constituency recently — one as recently as last weekend — where people had to be brought to hospital due to what happened late at night. While gardaí visit the islands during the day, the Minister should use his influence to have a presence at night or perhaps a permanent presence during the summer. The people of the islands are tax paying citizens and, therefore, are entitled to the protection of the State. It is an issue of law and order. While this may not be the Minister's area of responsibility, he is interested in the islands and wants the people there to have the best of what we have on the mainland.

Is Bille neamhurchóideach, teicniúil é seo agus tá áthas orm tacaíocht a thabhairt dó. Tá mé cinnte go mbeidh Billí eile ag dul tríd le linn thréimhse na Dála nach mbeidh an comhoibriú céanna ann. Ní thabharfaidh an Bille seo, áfach, an Rialtas anuas an uair seo.

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