Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Tá brón orm mar níl ach beagán Gaeilge agam agus ní raibh mé ábalta gach focal a thuiscint ach but if I understand the Deputy's question correctly, it addresses the issue of the future of our islands and how we, as a Government and people, can ensure they thrive. I will give a number of reflections on that issue. I had the pleasure of meeting Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann in the past year. I am very familiar with many of the islands as I spend a great deal of time on a variety of them, which I find to be a very rewarding experience. It is completely appropriate for the islands to get special attention and treatment because there are tremendous benefits in that in so many different ways. They are often a microcosm of wider Irish society and a place where we can test and see how we progress. My great hero is Richard Douthwaite, the great green economist, who used Inishbofin as an example. He said one can measure what is coming in and coming out and measure progress. The sad truth about our islands is that there has been a story of decline in population during many decades in the history of the State. I am glad to say that there are signs that this may be about to turn. We should look to encourage, accelerate and facilitate that.

Coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic, I note that on a number of islands where people are now able to work remotely they are starting to see that the islands are brilliant places to raise a family, live and work, often in different locations at the same time.

I support the Deputy’s proposal with regard to the LEADER programme that the islands be treated as a distinct region because they have characteristics that make them different to the rest of the country.

There are also very good and interesting examples in education, which is critical. On Inis Oírr, for example, I understand the secondary school has provided a great example that we could use on other islands. In many ways, if we were to work collectively together, we could have schools sharing resources and shared distance learning. That is critical in getting young people raised and educated.

One of the benefits of the islands is that they tend to have people who are very skilled in a variety of different ways. Island people have to be adaptable and able to turn their hand to different tasks. We could do with teaching the rest of the country some of what we call the island skills.

We could actually go to the islands and bring back those skills to the rest of the country in a way that would be very beneficial.

On energy, we have to treat islands differently because, with fossil fuels, it is very dangerous and expensive to bring such fuels out to an island and back. I was proud in my last term as Minister to double the grants that are specifically for retrofitting insulation of buildings. We have seen in places like Inis Mór in the Aran Islands a real success story, although it needs to go further, in terms of how community energy projects can work to improve housing, such as the example I mentioned earlier whereby we switch away.

My answer to the question is "Yes". These are áiteanna speisialta and we have to treat them in a different way. We have to work collectively within the islands to make sure we get the best schools, energy systems, transport systems and jobs. The Deputy suggested the LEADER scheme could be a path towards that.

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