Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht an cheist seo a ardú inniu. As the Deputy knows, the programme for Government commits to ensuring that Our Living Islands, which the national islands policy, is fully implemented to support sustainable development for island residents. Our Living Islands is a ten-year policy for the whole of Government backed up by rolling three-year action plans so the Departments and agencies across Government will be held accountable. This is a policy supporting communities in all of our inhabited offshore islands, including those in Mayo.

My Department provides a range of dedicated supports specifically to our inhabited offshore islands with significant annual investment in subsidised transport services to ensure our island communities can avail of reliable, affordable, year-round transport services. In 2025, over €700,000 will be invested by my Department in support of the Mayo island transport services, including daily passenger ferry services for Clare Island, Inisturk, and Inishbiggle. My Department also provides dedicated annual funding of €152,000 each to the community development companies on both Clare Island and Inisturk, which represents a 26% increase in funding which I approved earlier this year. Separately, Údarás na Gaeltachta administers funding of over €113,000 to Comhlacht Forbartha Áitiúil Acla in addition to dedicated funding to implement the island's language plan. Last month, I attended the AGM of Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann on Clare Island where I also announced funding of €500,000 to complete an upgrade to the existing Clew Bay bike trail park on the island. Last Friday, I was pleased to announce core funding of over €60,000 for community power solutions on both Clare Island and on Inisturk, and as the Deputy knows, we are currently running a pilot scheme of TFI Anseo on Achill Island through Local Link.

These are just some examples of practical supports my Department is providing or supporting. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, is working on these programmes in terms of my Department and the Department of Transport.

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