Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)

I do not believe the purpose of the question was to collate information but rather to see what impact the grants were having on the island communities. Are they making island life easier? Are the people living there enjoying the benefits of the Celtic tiger economy as the rest of us are supposed to be? Under what specific headings were the grants allocated, for example, tourism, recreational and community facilities etc.? What is the population of the islands that is being addressed? Are the numbers decreasing or has there been an increase in population? What is the Minister's overall view on ensuring island populations are good vibrant strong communities? What else may be done as regards developing the island communities?

It is good to hear about the infrastructure. The purpose and tone of the question essentially is to find out where the islanders stand regarding the mainland population and how they are developing their own communities.

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