Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Tháinig sé mar cheist iontais agus uafáis dom nach bhfuil oileánaigh clúdaithe faoin scéim a fógraíodh go mbeidh laghdú 20% sna táillí taistil ar fud na tíre. Sin ach amháin d’oileánaigh. Tá sé dochreidte go dtarlódh a leithéid agus go bhfágfaí an pobal is mó atá ag brath ar thaisteal poiblí amach as an scéim. Níl aon bhealach isteach agus amach ó na hoileáin ach ar iompar poiblí. Tá súil agam go mbeidh dea-scéal ag an Aire Stáit inniu. Mura bhfuil, coinneoidh mé orm ag troid. Níl aon mhaith d’aon duine a rá gur ceist airgid é seo mar tá €54 milliún á chaitheamh ar an scéim seo ar fud na tíre agus tá sé oibrithe amach ó na figiúirí atá agam go gcosnódh sé idir €50,000 agus €100,000 an cheist seo a chur ina cheart.

The Minister of State can imagine my surprise when I submitted a parliamentary question to her colleague and found out that islanders, who are totally dependent on public transport to and from the islands, be it airtransport in the case of the Aran Islands or boat transport in the case of the Aran Islands and all others, would not benefit from the 20% reduction in public service fares that people from the rest of the country are due to enjoy come 1 April. The first thought that went through my mind was that this was an April fool's joke given that the most isolated, namely those who cannot get off an island without public transport, are the ones left out of the scheme.

I raised the question with the Minister on 17 February and got an answer stating islanders were not included and that Departments were being consulted. It is now March, however, and the clock is ticking. I have no doubt that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will be able to raise €50,000 to €100,000. I doubt that this is even margin-of-error funding given that the scheme is to cost €54 million. It seems that the Department of Rural and Community Development should put a scheme to the Minister. I have no doubt that my colleague will come up trumps.

I hope the Minister of State will allay my concerns and ensure genuine equality on this island, the result being that a simple oversight that should not have arisen when the scheme went to Cabinet will be corrected and that she will be able to confirm to me that islanders will enjoy the same reduction that those from the rest of the country will enjoy from 1 April.

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