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Monday 25 September 2023 Dublin: 14°C

# Island Nation

This year
2023
Minister sets out 'positive discrimination' policy to ringfence offshore island funding
The ‘Our Living Islands’ strategy published today is the first national island policy in 27 years.
Heather Humphreys tells department officials she's 'not going to settle for more of the same'
The Minister told her officials that they needed to re-engage with government departments on commitments to the islands.
A long-awaited plan for the island communities was delivered to the Minister for Rural and Community Development before Christmas.
She now says officials need to 'revisit' the study - and that it won't be published until it 'contains credible actions' for the islands.
The island-specific policy document is the first of its kind since 1996 .
The Explainer x Noteworthy: Is the State ignoring island depopulation?
Noteworthy’s Niall Sargent and islander John Walsh tell Susan Daly about what is needed to help our offshore islands thrive.
‘Always a battle’: Clare Island locals fight to improve ‘dangerous’ pier
Inaction to improve conditions cutting at the heart of islanders’ connection to the mainland.
‘On its knees’: Future of island fishers on a knife edge
Islanders say authorities are failing to give support needed to save this traditional way of life.
Housing constraints ‘causing serious risk’ for islanders trying to sustain populations
Planning blockages, high building costs and no rental options are creating a housing crisis on our offshore islands.
‘Fragmented and unpredictable’: Healthcare services failing island communities
A report by
Niall Sargent
Broken down ambulances, no storage for supplies and outdated clinics among a litany of healthcare provider concerns.
HSE report finds island healthcare staff working “extremely hard" with "inadequate resources”
Regular breakdowns on Arranmore have locals tow-starting ambulance to get patients to safety
Clare Island GP: Our health centre is "completely outdated and unfit for purpose"
High and dry: Offshore islands a footnote in State priorities
A report by
Niall Sargent
Noteworthy talks to islanders waiting 25 years for policies to thrive and not just survive.
Islanders not directly involved in designing the State's first policy for the islands in 25 years
Our remaining 27 inhabited islands have a combined population of just 2,700 - and numbers are dropping
Islander: “There are cases of increasing population but few. It’s really hard to watch places going down.”