Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too want to put my shoulder to the wheel on this very important issue. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting it for discussion today. The continuation of this very successful programme with Dublin Institute of Technology is of massive importance. We all have to work together in whatever way we can to avoid the teaching staff being made redundant in the next three weeks. There are difficulties getting Cork County Council to comply with the commitments given to support the programme. The background to the matter is that the programme has been running on Sherkin Island for some years now. It is enthusiastically supported by DIT, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, local and national politicians and the local community of west Cork. In 2016, Cork County Council committed to providing the €20,000 of funding that would enable the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to pay a grant of €40,000. The combination of both these funding sources of €60,000 was deemed adequate to maintain the programme while there was a commitment from the council to further enhance the programme in line with the Government policy on rural development. The Minister of State knows that in the programme for Government, the Government made many commitments with regard to rural Ireland. This is a typical case in point which could not be more sincere. The Minister of State might ask how he is responsible for what Cork County Council reneges on.

I thank Deputy Collins for his important work on this issue to date. We want to maintain our islands. We want to keep people living on, going to and visiting the islands and having an economic vibrancy about them. Taking away this combined €60,000 would be disastrous. I am asking the Government to use its influence with Cork County Council - it is only €10,000 - to make sure the money is provided because there will be a massive pay-off in the local community.

See this speech in context