Media Release: Minister Calleary announces new heavy cargo services for four islands off the coast of Cork

Eisiúint Meáin: Fógraíonn an tAire Calleary seirbhísí lastais throm nua do cheithre oileán amach ó chósta Chorcaí

Media Release

Friday, 4^th July 2025

Minister Calleary announces new heavy cargo services for four islands off the coast of Cork

The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, has announced a new contract to provide a heavy cargo service to four islands located off the coast of County Cork. The islands are: Oileán Chléire (Cape Clear Isle), Sherkin, Long Island and Heir Island.

This is a five-year contract, running from 2025 to 2030, and will provide 70 sailing days per year for the island communities. The new contract represents a 20% increase on the number of sailing days that was provided in the previous contract and will also provide a more regular service for Oileán Chléire, the most remote and challenging island to serve.

The service will be provided by Carbery Isle Ferries LTD., and the Department will provide €1.5 million over a five-year period for this service.

Announcing the new contract, Minister Calleary said:

“I am delighted to announce this very important contract for a cargo service for Oileán Chléire, Sherkin, Long and Heir Islands.

“The largest number of inhabited islands are off the coast of County Cork. Each island has different requirements; however, transport services are one of the biggest challenges for all of them. Ensuring regular, all year-round services for island communities, at a reasonable cost, is a central part of the Government’s ‘Our Living Islands’ policy. I am delighted that this new contract will ensure that these islands will have an excellent service for the years to come.

“Since becoming Minister, I have made our islands a priority. I have already visited some and I hope to visit all of them during my time as Minister”.

Welcoming the announcement of the new contract Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, and TD for Cork South-Central, Jerry Buttimer added:

“This new contract ensures that island residents and businesses of the West Cork Isles will continue to have access to reliable heavy cargo services for the next 5 years. The increase in the number of sailing days will be of particular benefit to the small island farming communities that rely heavily on this service when moving livestock from the islands to the mainland during the busy market season.

“This new contract highlights the Government’s continued commitment and support for the sustainability of our island communities.”

This contract will ensure that they will be provided with a continuous, regular, reasonably priced heavy cargo service for the next five years.

The contract came into effect on 1^st July 2025.

Eisiúint Meáin 

Dé hAoine, 5 Iúil 2025 

Fógraíonn an tAire Calleary seirbhísí lastais throm nua do cheithre oileán amach ó chósta Chorcaí

Tá conradh nua fógartha ag an Aire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus na Gaeltachta, Dara Calleary TD, ar mhaithe le seirbhís lastais throm a sholáthar do cheithre oileán atá suite amach ó chósta Chontae Chorcaí. Is iad na hoileáin: Oileán Chléire, Inis Arcáin, Inis Fada agus Inis Uí Drisceoil.

Is conradh chúig bhliana é seo, a mhairfidh ó 2025 go 2030, agus cuirfear 70 lá seolta, in aghaidh na bliana, ar fáil do phobail na n-oileáin. Is ionann sin agus méadú de 20% ar líon na laethanta seolta a bhí ar fáil sa gconradh deireadh agus freisin, cuirfear seirbhís níos rialta ar fáil freisin d’Oileán Chléire, an t-oileán is iargúlta agus is dúshlánaí le freastal air.

Is le Carbery Isle Ferries LTD. atá an conradh nua, agus cuirfidh an Roinn €1.5 milliún ar fáil thar thréimhse cúig bliana don tseirbhís seo.

Agus an conradh nua á fhógairt aige, dúirt an tAire Calleary:

“Tá ríméad orm an conradh fíor thábhachtach seo do sheirbhís lastais do Oileán Chléire, Inis Arcáin, Inis Uí Dhrisceoil agus Inis Fada a fhógairt.

“Is amach ó chósta Chontae Chorcaí atá an líon is mó oileáin a bhfuil pobail ina gcónaí orthu. Tá riachtanais éagsúla ag gach aon oileán ach tá na seirbhísí iompair ar cheann de na clocha is mó ar a bpaidrín acu ar fad. Is cuid lárnach den pholasaí Rialtais ‘Ár nOileáin Bheo’ seirbhís rialta a chinntiú do na pobail oileánda ar feadh na bliana ar chostas réasúnach. Tá mé thar a bheith sásta go ndéanfaidh an conradh nua seo cinnte go mbeidh seirbhís den scoth ag na hoileáin seo sna blianta atá romhainn.”

“Ó ceapadh mar Aire mé, tá tús áite tugtha agam dár n-oileáin. Tá cuairt tugtha agam ar chuid acu cheana féin agus tá súil agam cuairt a thabhairt orthu go léir le linn mo thréimhse mar Aire.”

D’fháiltigh an tAire Stáit ag an Roinn Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta, agus TD do Chorcaigh Theas-Lár, Jerry Buttimer roimh an bhfógra freisin:

“Cinnteoidh an conradh nua seo go mbeidh rochtain leanúnach ag pobail agus lucht gnó na n-Oileáin Thiar, amach ó chósta Chorcaí, ar sheirbhís lastas throm ar féidir brath air ar feadh 5 bhliana eile. Beidh an méadú ar líon na laethanta seolta ina bhuntáiste ar leith do phobail bheaga feirmeoireachta na n-oileán a bhraitheann go mór ar an tseirbhís seo agus iad ag bogadh beostoc ós na hoileáin go dtí an mórthír le linn an tséasúir mhargaidh”.

“Léiríonn an conradh nua seo tiomantas agus tacaíocht leanúnach an Rialtais d ’inbhuanaitheacht ár bpobal oileánda.”

Cinnteoidh an conradh seo go gcuirfear seirbhís lastas throm leanúnach, rialta, ar phraghas réasúnta ar fáil dóibh don chéad chúig bliana eile.

Tháinig an conradh i bhfeidhm an 1 Iúil 2025.