Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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8. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department has engaged with representatives from island communities regarding the establishment of an island-specific local action group under the LEADER programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62465/22]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister will be aware that islanders and their representatives, including Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann, have been seeking a specific stand-alone subregional area for the islands when it comes to LEADER. What engagement, if any, has the Minister's Department had? Deputy Connolly referenced the presentation here last month by islanders and their representative bodies to seek this stand-alone, specific subregional area with regard to LEADER. Has the Department engaged with the islanders and their representatives on this matter?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The LEADER programme is a key intervention which will help underpin the Government's rural development goals as outlined in Our Rural Future. I am happy to confirm that preparations are now well advanced for the implementation of the new LEADER programme for the period 2023 to 2027. As these preparations have progressed, the Department has engaged on an ongoing basis with the representatives from the stakeholder organisations on the design of the new programme. This process has included direct engagement with representatives working with island communities.

The new LEADER programme will continue to be based, in the main, on areas aligned with county boundaries. However, it is important note that I am very well aware of the views of the island communities on LEADER and of the important and beneficial role LEADER can play on the islands. With this in mind, I have introduced a number of new requirements for the groups that will deliver the new LEADER programme on the islands to ensure the voice of Island communities is heard and plays an important role in the next LEADER programme.

I can assure the Deputy that the important contribution island communities make to rural and island development has been taken into consideration in the design of the new LEADER programme and I am confident LEADER can continue to make a real contribution to island communities in the years to come.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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Clearly, the Minister's Department engaged but, unfortunately, it did not listen. One only has to look at the spending on LEADER and the difference it made to the development of the islands when there was a specific local action group, LAG, in the period 2007 to 2013. More than €527,000 was spent on Mayo islands in that period compared to €129,000 in the last round of LEADER. If one looks at the Galway islands, it is very stark, in that €1.5 million was spent in the period where they had their own LAG versus €197,000 of expenditure in the last round of LEADER. That is a decline of €1.3 million, which is considerable money and has a considerable impact on the islands. It is extraordinary that in the 1990s, 30 years ago, Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann was recognised as a LEADER company but we have fallen back so far. This is completely in contradiction to the new islands policy and I ask the Minister to look at this again.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Is rud é seo atá ardaithe agam agus ag mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Kerrane, go rímhinic leis an Aire. Nuair a bhí sí ag plé an méid a bhaineann le LEADER le roinnt blianta anuas, bhíomar á rá go soiléir go dteastaíonn ceantar foréigiúnach ó na hoileáin. We have been raising this for some time. I understand the Minister said she has engaged with the islands but the reality is she has not listened to them. The islanders have been very clear about this. It is a totally different situation for islands. My colleague, Deputy Kerrane, outlined how the funding has drastically decreased for the islands but the situation of islanders is not being taken into consideration either. The administration of LEADER on the islands cannot be done correctly unless there is proper funding in place because, of course, people having to travel overnight to the islands increases the burden as well.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I have a question later on this and I am coming in now in case it is not reached. I am not sure why the question was not grouped but that is the privilege of the Department. I hear the Minister telling me that she listened to the islanders. When I visited a packed AV room meeting, they told me that for 38 years the islands have been fighting to be recognised as a subregional area and socioeconomic development specific to the offshore islands and so on. They tell us there is no basis in EU rules or regulations for precluding the Irish islands from being recognised as a subregional group. Tá siad ag streachailt ar feadh 40 bliain chun an t-aitheantas seo a bhaint amach. They have specifically asked for the recognition as a subregional group. I welcome the Minister having listened and made some changes but that is not what they have asked for. It is especially important if we are serious about a new plan for the islands that will ensure their continuation in a sustainable way.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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We listened, but certain stakeholder groups have expressed their preference that the new LEADER would include a dedicated LAG for island communities. A dedicated island LAG is not included in the model for the new LEADER programme. However, I am aware island communities have particular needs and priorities and the LEADER programme can play a key role here in the context of the emerging national islands policy. In recognition of this, a number of important elements are included in the new LEADER model. Any group selected to deliver LEADER in an area that includes island communities will be required to include representatives of the island communities in the decision-making process of the LAG, including our LEADER strategy, specific actions to cater for the challenges faced by island communities developed in consultation with the communities and indicative budgets in their LEADER strategy for the implementation of such actions. We have listened and taken on board concerns. This is a good arrangement that will benefit the islands because they will have a specific role in LEADER groups.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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The time has elapsed for this question but we will probably reach Question No. 15 when we will come back to it.