Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I know the Minister's heart is in the right place and I have recognised her commitment on record. My difficulty is that during the presentation in the AV room, the islanders told us it was absolutely essential to have the recognition as a subregional area and that alignment with the counties does not suit the sustainability of the islands. It is as simple as that. The interaction the Minister had was prior to this presentation. They made their views known in November and they have made them known to all of my colleagues and all the Deputies here. I ask the Minister to please not persist with this structure of funding. It is not to the benefit of the islands. There is no EU barrier. The barrier is somewhere in the minds here. It is bureaucratic. The Minister said the policy for the islands will be in her hands before the end of December and published next year. She might give me a date for that. It has to be funded properly. If the islands are not recognised as an entity, the funding is not fit for purpose. I am sorry but I have to disagree with the Minister on this.

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