Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister, and I thank her for her visit to the islands. She is aware of the issues. My question is, are those issues reflected in the draft report that is before her? That is very important. In regard to the ongoing issues, we can learn from the islands. They have survived. They have shown us a sustainable way of living. Each Government, not just this Government, has utterly failed to deal with the islands in a just and equal way with a comprehensive report based on legislation. Housing is a major issue on all the islands and particularly the Aran Islands and Inishbofin. We have problems with the lack of health centres and ongoing problems with na Céibheanna. I am reading correspondence from Inis Meáin. People there are despairing in regard to the process on An Caladh Mór, and the simulation exercise that is going on in the marine centre in Cork, and so on. Equally people in Inis Oírr have contacted us as a representative body telling us that the funding model under LEADER is not going to do anything for the islands and will continue the division that has happened up to date, which is not acceptable. I will not go over my time.

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