Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 292: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position relating to funding for Sherkin Island development society. [23061/05]

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 293: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has put in place the appropriate structures to provide support for development projects of Sherkin Island as indicated in the reply to a parliamentary question of 14 December 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23062/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 292 and 293 together.

The position regarding funding for the Sherkin Island Development Society, SIDS, is as outlined to the Deputy in my response to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 47 and 58 of 14 December 2004. Following the decision to discontinue funding to the SIDS, my Department made contact with the West Cork Arts Centre and made arrangements to financially support, for a period of one year, an arts and culture programme on Sherkin Island, the administration of which had previously been supported through the SIDS. In addition, in support of development projects on Sherkin Island, my Department is currently examining options to have the needs of Sherkin Island met through one of the existing agencies operating in the region.