Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the plans he has to introduce an island allowance scheme to all inhabitants of off-shore islands to ensure the continued viability of island life and help reduce the costs of living for off-shore island communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32493/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has been at the forefront in recent years in bringing forward proposals and introducing initiatives designed to reduce the cost of living for island communities and enhance their lifestyle accordingly. Practical steps that have been taken in this regard include:

the introduction of a maximum passenger fare structure for islanders using ferry services subsidised by my Department;

the reduction by 50% of the charges for carriage of cargo on the Aran Islands cargo service;

the introduction, in conjunction with the Irish Insurance Federation, of reduced insurance premia for cars based permanently on the islands;

a special rate of road tax for cars based permanently on the islands;

increased new house and house improvement grants on Gaeltacht islands;

an Enterprise Scheme for non-Gaeltacht islands; and

a significant increase in the Remote Area Boarding Grant payable by the Department of Education and Science in respect of island children attending secondary school on the mainland.

In the matter of allowances, I would remind the Deputy that for a number of years now an extra allowance of €12.70 is paid to island residents who are entitled to State pensions and other categories of assistance from the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

While I am pleased that considerable progress has been made in dealing with cost of living issues for our island communities, I can assure the Deputy that it is my intention to continue to examine ways of making further progress in this regard. In this context, I recently established a Steering Committee comprising representatives from my own Department, Údarás na Gaeltachta and Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann with a view to appointing consultants to carry out a comprehensive study of the cost of living and operating a business on the islands, the results of which will inform my Department's policy in relation to the islands over the coming years.