Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I dtosach báire, ba mhaith liom labhairt faoi cheist na n-oileán. Ar ndóigh, tá costas maireachtála i bhfad níos airde ar na hoileáin ná mar atá ar an mórthír. Ní hé an costas iompair amháin atá i gceist. Bíonn daoine ag caint faoin gcostas iompair, ach go minic ar oileán séard a chaitheas duine a dhéanamh ná an t-ábhar a thabhairt chomh fada leis an gcéibh, íoc as an iompar agus duine eile a íoc as an rud a thabhairt ón gcéibh chuig an teach. Cuireann sin go mór le costais gnó a reachtáil ar na hoileáin. Fadhb eile ar na hoileáin ná go mbíonn séasúr gearr orthu. Séard atá muid ag moladh ná go mbeadh leath ráta le n-íoc ar na hoileáin. Ó thaobh an Stáit de agus ó thaobh na gcomhairlí contae atá i gceist, ní costas ar bith a bheadh ann, mar níl ach 3,000 duine ag cónaí ar na hoileáin agus tá teorann le líon na gnóthaí atá ar na hoileáin. Cuirfeadh seo borradh faoi na hoileáin.

Is cuimhin liom nuair a d'fhoilsigh mé polasaí i 1997 do na hoileáin go ndúirt Pól Ó Foighil, ball d'Fhine Gael ag an am, dá gcuirfinn leath den pholasaí sin i gcrích go gcuirfinn athrú an-mhór ar na hoileáin. Caithfidh mé a rá gur admhaigh Pól Ó Foighil i bhfad ina dhiaidh sin go ndearna mé i bhfad níos mó ná leath den pholasaí sin a chur i gcrích. Tá deis ag Fine Gael anois, i gcuimhne ar Phól Ó Foighil más maith leo, rud éigin fiúntach a dhéanamh do na hoileáin. Mar a deirim, an moladh a bheadh agamsa ná go ndéanfar cinnte ar na hoileáin go mbeadh leath de na rátaí le n-íoc agus go dtabharfar faoiseamh dóibh ar an leath eile. Céard a dhéanfadh sin ach daoine a choinneáil ar na hoileáin agus na hoileáin a choinneáil ag maireachtáil. Níl aon rud a chosnaíonn níos mó ar an Stát ná áit atá ag fáil bháis, áit go gcaithfear na bun seirbhíseanna a choinneáil ag imeacht ach nach bhfuil aon phobal ann.

Mar sin, táim ag impí ar an Aire breathnú ar an gcéim an-bheag seo a bhféadfaí a thógáil agus nach gcuirfeadh as do thada agus a dhéanfadh cinnte de go mairfeadh agus go bhfásfadh gnóthaí ar na hoileáin.

The Government came in on a promise of jobs. That the jobs budget became a jobs initiative was a fiasco. We are now being threatened with a 2% increase in the rate of VAT and told that every employer will need to pay the first four weeks of employees' sick leave. Regrettably, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government does not seem to understand the urgency attached to the matter under debate.

Rates are a small issue for several large payers of rates, namely, the large manufacturers and utilities that, in some cases, account for 80% of the rates base. The rate is a fraction of a percentage of their cost base and is not a serious issue for them. The reduction in rates for such businesses would not make a significant difference to their viability.

The problem arises for small businesses, for example, retailers and those in the hospitality industry, in respect of which the rates are proportionately a greater percentage of their overheads. In many cases, such businesses do not represent a large portion of a council's rates revenue. Through a nuanced approach that targeted these industries, including town centre businesses that are closing down, one could do a great deal for little money. If we want to regrow the economy, there must be win-win situations and cutbacks should not be the only show in town. If we stimulate ratepayers, we can increase business while preventing local authorities from losing revenue.

The solutions offered in the Government's amendment are a long way down the line and will take a long time to implement. In the seanfhocal, the Government is telling small businesses and the hospitality sector, "Mair, a chapaill, agus gheobhaidh tú féar", that is, "Live, horse, and you will get grass". In many cases, the horse will be dead by the time the grass grows. We need an incisive, targeted approach that focuses on those broad types of businesses for which rates constitute significant overheads.

We need to treat this issue as a matter of urgency. The last thing we need is procrastination. We need action and a vision so that we might give businesses a start. We cannot add to the inhibitions that prevent businesses from growing. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and his officials should agree to engage with the all-party committee that deals with this issue. We should not say after tonight that, simply because we have put our point and the Government has answered, it is the end of the job as if the problem will not continue for people who wake up tomorrow morning and find that they cannot pay their rates. The committee should examine a targeted method through which to assist those for whom rates are an impossible burden. We should do this in the spirit of reform to which the Government referred, given its comments on the relevancy of the Oireachtas. Every Deputy is equal, in that we have all been elected by the people. Is the Government willing to invest the hours and effort, to listen to every idea and to act to resolve the issue? Regrettably, this does not appear to be the way the Dáil is working and the Government seems to be issuing diktats. Maybe my plea will not fall on deaf ears and the Government will listen and work with every Deputy to find a solution to this urgent and pressing problem.

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