Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to take back the Deputy's request for an update on the expected publication date of the planning guidelines. There are specific housing incentive supports for the islands, including to address dereliction. My Department provides subsidies for additional transport costs involved for islanders. That was reviewed during the cost-of-living crisis and in some cases it was increased as well. Údarás na Gaeltachta has been identified as the lead key body or joint stakeholder for a number of actions. It is also represented on the monitoring committee.

It is worth pointing out some of the policy measures that we have in place. For example, local enterprise offices in Údarás na Gaeltachta and other enterprise agencies work with local development companies and co-operatives on the islands to ensure island-based enterprises have access to a full range of supports, including expert mentors to assist them in reaching wider markets. We have a set of measures and each one of them is looked at through the Gaeltacht lens as well, with the assistance of Údarás na Gaeltachta.

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