Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Tá mé buíoch den Aire Stáit as ucht teacht isteach anseo ar maidin. Táimid ag caint ar sheanscéal anseo ar na hoileáin, sé sin, an fhadhb a bhaineann le céibheanna nach bhfuil feiliúnach ar chor ar bith don saol atá ann anois agus don aimsir atá againn anois. Tá an cheist seo thar a bheith práinneach. Tá sé spéisiúil mar idir 1997 agus 2010 ceadaíodh luach €100 milliún de thograí caipitil ar na hoileáin ach ó 2010 i leith go 2021, níor ceadaíodh aon togra os cionn €1 milliún. Tá éigeandáil ann dá bharr sin.

Tógfaidh mé Inis Oírr i dtosach. Fríothadh cead pleanála ansin i 2008. I 2015, díreach roimh an toghchán a tháinig i dtús 2016, cuireadh airgead isteach i Meastacháin na Roinne ach ó thaobh tógála de, níl aon airgead ceadaithe fós do chéibh Inis Oírr agus níl aon obair tosaithe. Tá gá anois le bogadh ar aghaidh. Tá contúirt ollmhór ar an gcéibh seo mar atá sé i láthair na huaire agus is é grásta Dé nár maraíodh aon duine ann. Molaim don Aire Stáit dul isteach go dtí an t-oileán ar an mbád sa gheimhreadh. Rinne mise é go minic agus rinne mé uair amháin nach ndéanfaidh mé dearmad air choíche, nuair a bhí inneall an bháid ag imeacht ar an gcéibh ag iarraidh an bád a choinneáil socair le go rithfinn agus an bheirt eile a bhí ar an mbád isteach ar an gcéibh. Tuigim anois go bhfuil ceadúnas imeall trá á lorg. Ba cheart don Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúla agus Oidhreachta tosaíocht a thabhairt dó seo mar obair agus gan a bheith ag déanamh leithscéalta go bhfuil rudaí eile ar na bacáin acu.

Maidir le hInis Meáin, rinneadh obair mhór ar chéibh an Chaladh Móir sna 2000anna agus ag an am ba é an togra céibhe oileáin ba mhó a ceadaíodh go dtí sin. Tuigeadh ag an am a tógadh é go raibh pas 2 agus 3 le déanamh i gcónaí agus dá bharr seo tá an bád lasta fós ag dul ag céibh na Cora. An fhadhb atá le céibh na Cora, go simplí, ná gur maraíodh beirt ar an gcéibh sin, ag amanna éagsúla de bharr maidhmeanna. I gcás amháin bhris an rópa a bhí ag ceangal an bád le céibh agus i gcás eile bhí fear ag seasamh ar an gcéibh agus scuabadh isteach san fharraige é le maidhm mhór a tháinig isteach.

An fhadhb atá le réiteach anseo ná go gcaithfear a rá le Comhairle Contae na Gaillimhe cén cineál airgead atá ar fáil don chéibh seo. An bhfuil €50 milliún ar fáil nó an bhfuil €20 milliún i gceist? Go dtí go mbeidh an t-eolas sin curtha ar fáil, ní féidir céibh a phleanáil mar ní fiú céibh a phleanáil nach bhfuil an t-airgead le bheith ag an Roinn di. Táimid ag dul anonn agus anall ar an gceist seo. An bhféadfadh an Roinn buille faoi thuairim a thabhairt do lucht pleanála na céibhe? Is Coláiste na hOllscoile i gCorcaigh atá ag déanamh na modhanna agus an chomhairle contae atá ag déanamh na hoibre pleanála. Cén cineál buiséad atá ag an Roinn leis an gcéad chéim eile a dhéanamh ar an gcéibh seo?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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An bhfuil cóip ann den fhreagra?

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I apologise that I do not have written copies of it, but it should on the way. I apologise for supplying the answer as Béarla.-----

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I have no problem with that but I do not know if the simultaneous translation is available.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I apologise that I do not have it at the moment. I will carry on-----

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Tá a fhios ag an Leas-Cheann Comhairle na fadhbanna atá leis sin.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Fiosróidh mé.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Ní fheicim aon rud anseo. Bíonn muid ag caint air ach ní bhíonn sé ar fáil.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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We are trying to clarify where is the translation system that should be available.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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Should I proceed or wait?

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Keep going, because if the Minister of State waits for the translation system, he will be waiting.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I will proceed. Sustainability of communities on the islands is a fundamental objective of the Government, as set out in its Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025. Inherent in the support for sustainability is the requirement for the provision of safe access to the islands for ferry passengers, fishermen and women and other recreational users of the harbours. As the Deputy will be aware, the relevant local authorities are responsible authorities for maintenance and development of infrastructure on the islands. To that end, the Department of Rural and Community Development provides financial support to the local authorities for priority projects. To address safety issues affecting piers on Inis Oírr and Inis Meáin, the Government included development of these two harbours among capital projects identified in the Project Ireland 2040 plan. The Department of Rural and Community Development is now progressing these, in conjunction with Galway County Council. A development committee comprising representatives from the Department, Galway County Council and PUNCH consulting engineers was established and it has been meeting regularly to monitor progress.

With regard to Inis Oírr pier, the Department has approved the business case and Galway County Council is in the process of resolving a number of pre-construction issues prior to issuing a draft tender for their development. These issues include application for a foreshore licence for the works on the island, completion of environmental reports for an appropriate assessment and preparing the compulsory purchase order, CPO, applications. The timetable has been discussed by the development committee providing for a tendering process of approximately nine months, after which construction will advance in stages. The finalised plan is likely to take several years to complete, taking account of the weather and sea conditions.

With regard to Inis Meáin, the business case is still in development with Galway County Council. The Department has provided advice to the council in this regard. The proposed design of Inis Meáin harbour and pier will be informed by modelling work being carried out by the National Maritime College of Ireland in Cork. The Department has funded this work and, at a meeting in July, skippers had an opportunity to test the initial release of the model. This proved very informative for both skippers and the council engineers. A further iteration of the model is being developed. Once the modelling has been completed and its impact on design of the pier fully understood, the business case can proceed for approval.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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We need to stress that planning permission was given. It is the same operable planning permission for Inis Oírr in 2008. This is 2021 and I have to stress that this pier is incredibly dangerous, because of overtopping and because boats cannot tie up safely in the severe winter weather. I ask the Minister of State to clarify whether after getting the foreshore licence it will take nine months to do the tendering. Has he a timeline for when he expects contractors on site? The fastest thing in construction nowadays is the building. Even though that might take two years, at least one can go down every week and see the progress. Can the Minister of State give a timeline to the people of Inis Oírr as to when it is expected construction will commence on the pier?

Regarding Inis Meáin, the Minister of State mentioned the skippers. The skippers are hugely important because they bring in the boats. However, another group seems to be getting overlooked here and they are important for two reasons.

I refer to the islanders themselves. The first reason is that they live there. The second is that fishing in those waters has given them an incredible wealth of knowledge of the seas around their island. The islanders have made and keep making one point. They have made it to the Minister of State's colleague, the senior Minister in the Department, Deputy Heather Humphreys. The islanders believe it is vital that some indication is given to everybody regarding the funding available. Are we talking about €50 million or €100 million? There is no point in just saying funding is available, because that would be like telling someone to design a house without giving any indication of the budget. It is as foolish as that, and anybody who did that would be very foolish indeed. The issue, then, is whether the Department can give everybody concerned some indication of the potential budget for them to work off. That would allow for the maximum impact, because whether the project involves digging in or working out into the sea will depend on how much money there is to spend.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I acknowledge and reiterate that this issue is very high on the agenda of the Minister. We do talk about it and she is aware of the urgency to move on this project. I acknowledge as well the long history of this issue and how long it has been going on for, as outlined by Deputy Ó Cuív. Funding has been needed for some time. The Deputy has been a long-time advocate in this regard and he has raised this matter many times. I wish I could give him tighter and clearer timelines. The tender is being prepared. The best I can do is to tell the Deputy we want to get the tender issued and to see it out as soon as possible. The only decent timeline I can provide for the Deputy is that the tendering process will take approximately nine months. I know that is not what the Deputy is looking for.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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On that basis, we will not have the pier in 2022 and we are talking about 2023. I am just trying to get clarity.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I understand what the Deputy is looking for, but I cannot provide the clarity and certainty he is seeking this morning.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister of State is giving a good indication that it will not happen before 2022.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I wish I could give that certainty.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State and I appreciate that.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I acknowledge the risks the Deputy has outlined concerning the situation on the piers. I will bring back this matter to the Minister and we will endeavour to get more detail for the Deputy. I apologise that I cannot give a more precise timeline for the start of the tendering process this morning.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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That is the end of this Topical Issue debate. Maidir leis an gcóras, ní raibh a fhios agam nach raibh na cluasáin ag feidhmiú. Tá ceist curtha agam.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Ní raibh.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Ní féidir glacadh leis sin. Ní raibh a fhios agam agus tiocfaidh mé-----

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Níl aon chluasáin ann.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Tuigim. Tá sé ráite agam anois ach ní raibh a fhios agam é sin. Tiocfaidh mé ar ais ag an Teachta agus ag an Dáil maidir leis an gcóras aistriúcháin.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Go raibh maith agat.