Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Is cuairteoir rialta í ar an Teach seo. Tá míle fáilte roimpi. Tá mé ag ardú ceist a bhaineann le Roinn na Gaeltachta go bunúsach - an seirbhís eitleoireachta a fhreastalaíonn ar na trí oileán Árainn. Tá a fhios aici go bhfuil seirbhís aeir go dtí na hoileáin - i dtosach ó Ghaillimh agus níos déanaí ó Aerfort na Minna i gConamara - le níos mó ná 40 bliain anois. Is cuid fíor-bhunúsach agus fíor-thábhachtach d'infreastruchtúr na hoileáin í an tseirbhís seo. Bhí dlúth-bhaint ag an aerstráice agus an seirbhís aeir leis na roghanna a rinne daoine chun fanacht ar na hoiléain, dul amach le cónaí ar na hoileáin nó gairm a dhéanamh ar na hoileáin.

Má táimid chun na huimhreacha a choinneáil suas sna scoileanna, má tá daoine chun gnóthaí a bhunú ar na hoileáin agus má tá sé bheith níos fusa do dhaoine cóir leighis, srl., a fháil, tá an tseirbhís aer riachtanach. Ag cruinniú leis an Aire Stáit, an Teachta McGinley, le déanaí, tugadh le fios go bhfuil an fordheontas a chuireann an Roinn ar fáil don tseirbhís aer i mbaol. Bhí ráfla ann go mb'fhéidir go bhfuil an fordheontas le gearradh. Tá an-imní ar phobal Inis Mór, Inis Meáin aguis Inis Oírr go dtarlóidh sé sin. Mar a dúirt duine amháin, dá ndéarfaí le duine i mBaile Átha Cliath a bhraitheann ar an Luas go bhfuil an tseirbhís sin le n-imeacht, bheadh an cairpéad bainte faoi chosa an duine sin. Is féidir an rud céanna a rá faoin tseirbhís bus i gceantair tuaithe. Cé go dtéann seirbhís farantóireachta maith go leor amach go dtí Oileáin Árann chomh maith céanna, tá an seirbhís aer riachtanach do phobal na n-oileáin. Labhair an dochtúir a oibríonn ar Inis Mór, Marion Broderick, go poiblí faoin gceist seo an tseachtain seo caite. Dúirt sí go bhfuil an tseirbhís aer fíor-thábhachtach i gcás aire a thabhairt d'othair a bhíonn orthu taisteal isteach go rialta go Gaillimh. Níl sé feiliúnach do chuid mhaith acu taisteal ar an mbád mar tá an t-aistear fó-fhada agus déanann sé dochar dóibh. Cabhraíonn an seirbhís aer le gach éinne go dteastaíonn uathu aistear i bhfad níos tapúla a dhéanamh ó am go ham.

Nuair a labhair mé le fear gnó - Tarlach de Blácam - a bhfuil gnó idirnáisiúnta atá ag plé le cúrsaí cniotála bunaithe aige ar Inis Meáin, dúirt sé liom gur ionann deireadh a chur leis an tseirbhís eitleoireachta agus deireadh a chur leis an gnó atá ar bun aige. Tá 16 duine fostaithe aige sa chomhlacht, a dhéanann a gcuid gnó go hidirnáisiúnta, go háirithe leis an tSeapáin. Bíonn orthu earraí agus samplaí dá gcuid oibre a chur thar lear go rialta. Bíonn custaiméirí an chomhlachta ag súil le seirbhís tapaidh. Ní thagann an bád isteach sách rialta ionas gur féidir é sin a dhéanamh. Tá an comhlacht ag brath go hiomlán ar leithéidí DHL, a phiocann na hearraí seo suas nuair a thuirlingíonn an t-eitleán. Nuair a bhriseann píosa innealra sa monarchan, mar a tharlaíonn ó am go chéile, caithfidh an comhlacht píosa nua a fháil isteach go tapaidh. Muna bhfuil an tseirbhís seo ar fáil chun a leithéid a dhéanamh, is féidir leis an 16 duine atá fostaithe san ionad seo bheith dímhaoin ar feadh roinnt laethanta.

Caithfear glacadh leis go bhfuil an tseirbhís eitleoireachta go dtí Oileáin Árann mar bhunchuid d'infreastruchtúr, córas iompair agus córas sóisialta na trí oileán. Tá sé mar sin le 40 bliain. Is mar gheall ar sin gur éirigh leis an daonra fanacht ar na hoileáin, go bhfuil na scoileanna faoi bhláth agus go bhfuil seirbhísí sóisialta ann, srl. Tá mé ag impí ar an Aire Stáit deimhniú dom nach bhfuil sé i gceist ag an Rialtas drannadh leis an fordheontas seo. Sa bhuiséad atá ag teacht, ní cheart aon ghearradh siar a dhéanamh ar an airgead a íoctar le chinntiú gur féidir seirbhís eitleoireachta amach go dtí na trí oileán a chur ar fáil. Tá an tseirbhís ríthábhachtach do na hoileánaigh. Tá siad trína chéile le seachtain anuas. Tá cruinnithe poiblí eagraithe acu ar na hoileáin éagsúla. Beidh cruinniú acu le ionadaithe tofa i nGaillimh Dé Luain seo chugainn. Bheadh sé tráthúil dá bhféadfadh an tAire Stáit leid a thabhairt dúinn nach bhfuil sé i gceist drannadh leis an tseirbhís seo. Ba ionann sin agus na seirbhísí bus nó Luas a bhaint as ceantracha eile.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Senator will appreciate that my Irish is not as proficient as his, which is very nice to listen to.

The Government recognises that our islands have a precious built and natural history and a rich cultural and linguistic tradition. These are valuable assets for the island communities and the country in general. The maintenance and development of sustainable communities on the islands have been the goals of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for many years and substantial investment has been made to this end. The 2007-13 National Development Plan identified measures aimed at promoting the future development of the islands, including the development of the piers on the three Oileáin Árann as a flagship project. This work has been completed. Over ¤100 million has been spent on island infrastructure in the past ten years. This includes the cost of the redevelopment of Cill Rónáin Harbour on Inis Mór at a cost in excess of ¤40 million.

The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has agreed contracts for 20 islands to which passenger ferry, connecting bus, cargo and air services are provided by 24 contracted operators. School transport links are provided for students from Inishbofin, Inishturk and Clare Island who attend mainland schools. In awarding the contracts, priority is given to the needs of island communities. The timetables for these services that have been agreed with island representatives allow inhabitants a great deal of flexibility when going about their daily lives. Passenger and cargo fares have been significantly reduced for islanders as a result of these subsidised services. The standard of the vessels involved in the provision of these services and the overall comfort of passengers have improved considerably, mainly as a result of the subsidies provided. Expenditure of ¤5.93 million was incurred in 2011 to provide passenger and cargo ferry, air and connecting bus transport services for offshore islands under contracts administered by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. These contracts ensure the provision of regular access for island communities to the mainland at an affordable cost to island residents. Owing to improved access to the islands, visitors have greater options than ever before when choosing to visit particular islands, as a result of which economic benefits accrue to the local and national economy.

The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has a public service obligation contract with Aer Arann Islands for the provision of air services for the three Oileáin Árann. This contract will expire on 31 August 2013. The total cost of the public service obligation contract with Aer Arann Islands for the period from 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2013 is over ¤6 million. The exact figure is provided in the reply circulated. The contract provides for three daily return flights to Inis Mór and two daily return flights to Inis Meáin and Inis Oírr on weekdays, with four return flights at weekends. Additional flights are also provided, depending on demand. A separate contract is in place with Bainistíocht Aerfoirt Teoranta, a subsidiary of Aer Arann Islands, to manage the three aerodromes on Oileáin Árann and two airstrips at Inishbofin and Clifden in County Galway. The cost of the contract for the period from 1 March 2012 to 31 August 2013 is ¤540,580.

The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht appreciates the importance of this service for the residents of the three islands. However, account must be taken of the overall funding available to the Department for offshore islands. Approximately 60% of this funding is being spent on passenger and freight services to the three Oileáin Árann. According to the 2011 census of population, some 1,251 people live permanently on the three islands. This represents approximately 43% of the total population of the offshore islands. The Department will make every effort to ensure the funding available for offshore islands in 2013 is used to provide safe, regular and high quality access. It recently agreed a five year ferry contract for the provision of a scheduled ferry service from Ros a' Mhíl to Inis Meáin and Inis Oírr at a cost of ¤800,000 per annum. In addition, the tendering process has begun to renew the ferry contract from Ros a' Mhíl to Inis Mór which will expire on 31 January 2013. The Senator will appreciate that the 2013 Estimates process is ongoing. The Department has not yet been informed of its allocation for 2013. Therefore, no decision has been made on the renewal of the air service to and from the three Oileáin Aránn. We are very conscious of the preciousness of the islands' only means of transport.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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I did not mean to offend by speaking completely as Gaeilge and I am sorry if that was the case.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Senator did not offend me at all.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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I am surprised the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht has supplied an answer in English only, which is not like it because it has given us both on every other occasion. I appreciate that the Minister of State will read as Béarla but, at the least, an Irish language copy should have been provided.

The provision of safe, regular, high quality access is key. The case made by the islanders is that businesses and medical and tourism services on the island are dependent on the air service, which is at the core of delivery. I am disappointed the Minister of State has not been able to say the company will continue the service for sure, although I can appreciate that a budgetary process is ongoing.

I ask that the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, would ask the Minister, Deputy Deenihan, or the Minister of State, Deputy McGinley, whether they would be willing to sit down with the stakeholders given it is important there would be representatives from the co-ops and the islander community as well as representatives from Aer Arann Teoranta, which runs the service, from the airports and from the Department. The islanders have suggested ways in which this could be averted and money saved while still providing an air service and operating within the parameters required by the Department, which is crucial.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I was not in the least offended as I love listening to the Irish language. I very much hear what the Senator is saying in terms of the medical service, in particular the emergency element that may be necessary from time to time, although thankfully not very often. When this is the only means of transport, it is essential, and I know people get very worried about it. The Minster of State, Deputy McGinley, would have been present but, while he is unfortunately not available, I will convey the Senator's request and ask him to refer to the Senator directly.