Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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31. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the role her Department will undertake in supporting the work of community groups, on our off-shore inhabited islands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10121/15]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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I assume that the Deputy is referring in his Question to the new arrangements for certain non-Gaeltacht inhabited islands.

As the Deputy will be aware, I have been in contact with my colleagues, Minister Alan Kelly and Minister of State Ann Phelan, with regard to the continuation of some services that had been delivered under the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) on these islands. As a result of the agreement reached, I am pleased that my Department will be in a position to deliver a revised funding approach towards community development on the non-Gaeltacht islands with effect from 1 April 2015. A total sum of €300,000 will be available for the remainder of the year, being the balance of the overall allocation of €400,000 approved for 2015.

While I am aware that SICAP, the successor programme to the LCDP, will operate within all local authority areas, the funding from my Department will assist with the delivery of other essential services for these island communities. My Department will seek to enhance this delivery into the future through engagement with the communities on the relevant islands.