Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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109. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the publication of the islands policy. [38172/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The development of a new Islands Policy is one of the key elements of Our Rural Future, the Government’s new Rural Development Policy.

The central objective of the Islands Policy will be to ensure that sustainable vibrant communities continue to live on the offshore islands. An island consultation process was undertaken by my Department to inform the policy and to ensure that the island communities were and are central to the process.

The consultation process has assisted in identifying the main challenges faced by communities living on the offshore islands. Issues highlighted by the island communities included education, health, housing, energy, employment, broadband and access to services.

My officials are now engaging bilaterally with relevant Government Departments and Agencies to discuss the issues raised by island communities and to assess how they might be addressed. I expect Departments and Agencies to provide input and expertise on elements of the policy and agree commitments as it is developed.

Work has begun on preparing a first draft of the Islands Policy, but it is at a very early stage and is very much a work in progress.It was envisaged that the new Islands Policy would be published this year, however I am conscious that getting the policy right is the real priority and this will be the guiding principle going forward.