Councillor says small ferry boats needed for small islands
'How can there be a permanent population on islands without ferry boats?'
Having small ferry boats frequent the small islands is vital a county councillor said at a meeting of Coiste na n-oileán this week.
Sinn Féin Councillor John Shéamais Ó Fearraigh said he has often raised the issue saying that small ferry boats should be available to small islands.
Islander John O'Brien agreed saying he was of the opinion that the guidelines for small islands were that they need to have a permanent population on them before they could secure a small ferry boat for the island.
Speaking in Irish, he said: " “What Inish Bó Finne needs is a regular ferry service. They don’t provide a ferry service without a permanent population but how can you have a permanent population without a ferry service?”
Mr O’Brien queried the thinking behind spending millions to protect and support the Corncrake while money wasn’t being spent on supporting families to live on islands.
He did add that he had no issue with money being spent on protecting the protected bird.
Fixing and building homes on islands has been recognised as being exceptionally expensive on small islands by those who have carried out the work.