Warning over ‘negative impact’ of cuts on island life

Changes to funding for community development offices will mean the collapse of a wide range of programmes, activities and initiatives on nine non-Gaeltacht islands, community representatives have warned.

They said they were shocked at the news that the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government was to , which serve nine islands.

The programme was expected to end on December 31st, but last night the Department of the Environment said the non-Gaeltacht islands would continue to be supported in a transitional arrangement until March 31st when a new programme would begin.

The islands affected are Inishbofin, Inishturk, Clare Island, Bere Island, Sherkin Island, Dursey Island, Whiddy Island, Long Island and Heir Island.

They are served by five community development companies’ offices which are managed by local voluntary committees. They receive some €600,000 a year to employ staff to deliver a range of services across the nine islands.

A spokesman for the Department of the Environment said a new funding programme, known as the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (Sicap), would begin next April.

Negative impact

However, the island representatives said this programme’s funds would be allocated on a population basis and island communities would lose out because their populations were so small.

John Walsh, co-ordinator of the Bere Island Projects said the small islands were not in a position to tender because they did not have a large enough population base.

“If the funding is pulled ... these services will go into terminal decline, resulting in a hugely negative impact on island life,” he said.