Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The monitoring committee will meet at least twice in the full year, typically in spring and autumn. The committee may appoint subcommittees from time to time to discuss particular items as necessary. Members will be invited to submit items for inclusion on the agenda, which will be circulated in advance, and minutes will be kept at each meeting and circulated to members in advance of the next meeting. The relevant stakeholders may be invited to attend meetings of the committee or subcommittees to provide information relating to the implementation of specific actions. Indeed you are right, Deputy, it took 26 years to get to this. It is something that you raised with me on many occasions and in fairness I think it was positively received by the islands committee when I launched the policy last year. Both my Departments have shown commitment to the islands, the Department of Social Protection with the island allowance that had not been increased in years, and the ring-fenced money under the local improvement scheme and specific funding for islands under the CLÁR scheme. There has been work done but we need to keep their toes to the fire.

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