Media Release: Our Living Islands: Minister Calleary announces funding for community development companies on offshore islands
Ár nOileáin Bheo: Fógraíonn an tAire Calleary maoiniú do chomhlachtaí forbartha ar na hoileáin
Tá sé fógartha inniu (Dé hAoine, 23 Bealtaine) ag an Aire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta, Dara Calleary TD, go bhfuil maoiniú €830,900 ceadaithe do na comhlachtaí forbartha ar oileáin neamh-Ghaeltachta Mhaigh Eo, na Gaillimhe agus Chorcaí.
Is ionann seo agus ardú aon-uaire 22.2% san iomlán i gcomparáid le 2024, chun an maoiniú a thabhairt cothrom leis na comhlachtaí forbartha ar na hoileáin Ghaeltachta. Tagann sé as athbhreithniú a rinne an Roinn ar mhúnla maoinithe na gcomhlachtaí forbartha pobail ar na hoileán, mar a bhí geallta in Ár nOileáin Bheo, polasaí náisiúnta na n-oileáin 2023-2033.
Déanann Comhar na nOileán bainistiú ar riaradh an mhaoinithe agus tá maoiniú breise ceadaithe chun líonra tacaíochta agus cúrsaí oiliúna a fhorbairt do na comhlachtaí forbartha seo.
Is cuspóir straitéiseach in Ár nOileáin Bheo é Pobail na nOileán a chumasú, agus tá na comhlachtaí forbartha pobail lárnach sa mhéid seo. Tacaíonn an maoiniú a chuirtear ar fáil dóibh go bliantúil go díreach le fostú oifigigh forbartha pobail agus oibrithe tacaíochta ar na hoileáin amach ón gcósta. Cuimsíonn a gcláir oibre 8 bpríomhréimse oibre, lena n-áirítear seirbhísí pobail laethúla a sholáthar, tacú le fiontraíocht shóisialta agus le gníomhaíocht eacnamaíoch ar na hoileáin, agus idirchaidreamh a dhéanamh le forais Stáit chun bonneagar a fhorbairt agus chun a chinntiú go bhfuil rochtain ag pobail oileáin ar sheirbhísí poiblí riachtanacha.
Cuireann an Roinn Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail os cionn €10 milliún in aghaidh na bliana ar fáil freisin i dtreo seirbhísí iompair fóirdheonaithe lena chinntiú gur féidir lenár bpobail oileáin leas a bhaint as seirbhísí aeir, farantóireachta agus lastais throma atá iontaofa agus inacmhainne ar feadh na bliana. Ina theannta sin, cuirtear maoiniú os cionn €1 mhilliún in aghaidh na bliana ar fáil trí Údarás na Gaeltachta do 7 gcomhlacht forbartha pobail ar oileáin Ghaeltachta.
Ag fógairt an mhaoinithe, dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Tá comharchumainn agus comhlachtaí forbartha áitiúla lárnach i soláthar seirbhísí laethúla agus tograí forbartha ar na hoileáin. Tá áthas orm an gealltanas a tugadh in Ár nOileáin Bheo chun athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar an struchtúr maoinithe a chomhlíonadh. Cinntíonn an maoiniú leasaithe seo atá á fhógairt agam inniu go mbeidh an leibhéal céanna tacaíochta ar fáil anois ag ár n-oileáin ar fad, laistigh agus lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht.”
Ag cúr fáilte roimh an mhaoiniú, dúirt Máire Uí Mhaoláin, Príomhfheidhmeannach Chomhar na nOileán:
“Fáiltíonn Comhar na nOileán roimh an ardú suntasach atá curtha ar fáil do na hoileáin neamh-Ghaeltachta chun a gclár oibre a chur i bhfeidhm. Is deá-chomhartha é go bhfuil an Rialtas tiomanta do chás na nOileán agus ag dul i dtreo plean gnímh ‘Ár nOileáin Bheo’ a sheachadadh. Cuidíonn an maoiniú seo leis na comhlachtaí pobal-bhunaithe agus na pobail ar an hoileáin neamh-Ghaeltachta a dhéanamh níos inmharthanaí. Is céim chun tosaigh é seo agus táthar ag súil go dtógfar ar an dul chun cinn seo ar bhunús leanúnach sna blianta amach romhainn.”
Our Living Islands: Minister Calleary announces funding for community development companies on offshore islands
The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, has today (Friday, 23 May) announced funding of €830,900 for community development companies on the non-Gaeltacht islands of Mayo, Galway and Cork.
This represents a once-off increase of 22.2% overall since 2024, bringing the funding in line with the Gaeltacht islands. This follows a review carried out by the Department of the funding structures for community development companies on non-Gaeltacht islands, which was a commitment in Our Living Islands, the national islands policy 2023-2033.
Comhar na nOileán manages the administration of the funding on behalf of the Department, and additional funding is also being provided to develop a support network and training for the community development officers on these islands.
Empowering Island Communities is one of the strategic objectives of Our Living Islands, and the community development companies are central to this. The funding provided to them annually directly supports the employment of community development officers and support workers on the offshore islands.
Their work programmes include 8 key areas of work, including the provision of day-to-day community services, supporting social enterprise and economic activity on the islands, and liaising with State bodies to develop infrastructure and ensure island communities have access to essential public services.
The Department of Rural and Community Development also provides over €10 million per annum towards subsidised transport services to ensure our island communities can avail of reliable, affordable year-round air, ferry and heavy cargo services. Furthermore, funding of €1 million per annum is provided via Údarás na Gaeltachta for 7 community development companies on Gaeltacht islands.
Announcing the funding, Minister Calleary said:
“Community development companies and co-operatives play a vital role in the delivery of daily services and projects of our offshore islands. I am delighted to fulfil a commitment given in Our Living Islands to review the funding structure. This revised funding announced today ensures that all our islands now have access to the same level of support, whether in the Gaeltacht or not.”
Welcoming the announcement, Máire Uí Mhaoláin, CEO of Comhar na nOileán said:
“Comhar na nOileán welcomes this significant funding increase for the non-Gaeltacht islands to implement their work programmes. It is a positive sign that the Government is committed to supporting the islands and to delivering the Our Living Islands action plan. This funding helps to sustain these community-based bodies and their communities on the non-Gaeltacht islands. This is a step forward and we hope that this progress will be built on, on an ongoing basis in the years to come.”
| Development Company | Island | 2025 funding |
| Cliara Development Company DAC | Clare Island, Co Mayo | €152,000 |
| Inishturk Community Club CLG | Inishturk, Co Mayo | €152,000 |
| Inishbofin Development Company CLG | Inishbofin, Co Galway | €152,000 |
| Bere Island Projects Group Limited | Bere Island, Dursey Island, Whiddy, Co Cork | €177,500 |
| Sherkin Island Development Society | Sherkin Island, Hare Island, Long Island, Co Cork | €160,000 |
| Comhar na nOileán administration | €27,400 | |
| Tacú – support network and training | €10,000 | |
| Total | €830,900 |
Community development companies and co-operatives on the Gaeltacht islands are funded through Údarás na Gaeltachta.