A chara, - I refer to the letter from John Carlos (July 13th) regarding the recent tragic fire on Inishbofin Island.
As Minister for the Islands and as a person who has visited Inishbofin regularly over a long number of years, I would wish through your columns to express my deep shock and sadness regarding this tragedy.
John Carlos referred to me and said: "The Bofin people and the Islanders in similar circumstances are not asking the politicians for a stroke or a favour." I would like to place on record the clear policy and commitment that this Government has in place in relation to islands. Before the last election I published, on behalf of Fianna Fail, a detailed policy document in relation to off-shore islands making strong commitments to their development and establishing clearly the rights of islanders to basic services. During the last two years, while working in close partnership with all Government departments, the local authorities and the islanders themselves, great progress has been made and financial commitments entered into to improve the quality of life of islanders across a whole range of initiatives.
In particular, dramatic progress has been made in improving and extending subsidised contract ferry services to islands and further improvements are in the pipeline and likely to come onstream in the near future. Infrastructure such as, roads, coastal erosion, piers, water and a myriad of other basic needs have either been provided or are at advanced planning stages. Some of these will take considerable finance but are absolutely necessary for the wellbeing and safety of island people. The Government has each year dramatically increased its financial allocation to the islands so that the money will be there to provide the infrastructure as soon as suitable plans are provided.
When I became Minister I found, to my surprise, that there were eight inhabited off-shore islands that did not have an electricity supply. A decision was made and money provided by my Department, in co-operation with the ESB, to ensure that these islands would get this absolutely basic requirement.
Improvements have also taken place in the provision of education services, both on the islands and, where necessary, making education on the mainland both more affordable through the abolishing of the means test and also less of a traumatic experience by providing better opportunities for students living away from home to return at weekends.
Ongoing consultations are taking place between my Department, the Department of Health and the health boards, to ensure the provision of the best medical care possible on islands.
As Minister I have been concerned about matters where I felt islanders were exposed to unacceptable risks. These include questions with regard to safe access to islands, safety on the islands, etc. I would also like to put on record the willingness of the local authorities to commit funds to the islands in recent years as part of co-financed schemes.
In relation to the provision of fire services, the technical expertise and responsibility in this regard obviously rests with the local authorities and the Department of the Environment. However, in view of the recent tragic event, I am in consultation with both the Department of the Environment and the local authorities to ensure that as a matter of urgency proposals are drawn up to try and ensure that the risk from fire on an island is no greater than that experienced on the mainland.
As I have expressed publicly, as soon as proposals are prepared by the relevant authorities urgent discussions will take place between my Officials, the local authorities and the Department of the Environment to ensure that adequate fire fighting services are provided on the islands and if necessary, and where appropriate, I have indicated my willingness to provide funds to supplement the normal funds that would be available to each local authority for the provision of these services. Obviously the exact amount of such assistance, etc., will be a matter for finalisation, once detailed proposals are received.
I would feel from the above that, rather than the strokes of politicians referred to by John Carlos, that this Government can stand by its record of a deep and full commitment to the future of our off-shore islands. - Is mise,
Eamon O Cuiv, T.D., Minister of State, Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Dublin 4.