Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann

Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann —- The Irish Islands Federation

Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann —- The Irish Islands Federation

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WHO ARE WE ?

In 1984, sixteen islands founded Comhdháil na nOileán. Their aim was to draw attention to the difficulties facing islanders in terms of socio-economic development, problems which they felt were not being addressed at either a regional or national level.

At that time, there were serious shortcomings with access to the islands and health and other essential services were completely inadequate.

Due to lack of funds and the difficulties inherent in running a voluntary organisation of islanders without administrative support, Comhdháil stopped functioning after a few years.

In 1993, Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann was re-established and became a co-operative in 1994. Comhdháil then succeeded in getting recognition as a Leader II company, was granted £1.3m initially and was able to open an office (in Inis Oírr, the smallest of the Aran islands) and employ full-time staff.

In 1998 Comhdháil succeeded in getting funding under the European New Opportunities for Women programme and 106 women from 16 islands participated in the two-year programme.

Comhdháil then administers the National Rural Development Programme (NDRP) for the islands and was allocated €1.845m for the period 2002-2006.

Comhdháil was a founder member of the European Small Islands Network (ESIN), set up in 2001 and was the lead partner in an interregional project, funded by Interreg IIIc.

In 2005, Comhdháil succeeded in getting funding from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht affairs to employ a Manager who would work independently of the NDRP and other programmes and develop Comhdháil’s policy nationally. This post was funded initially until the end of 2007 and was extended to the end of 2008.

Comhdháil’s Work

National Work

Policies

The greatest concern expressed by communities in all of our member islands is the decline in their populations. Halting or indeed reversing that trend requires work on a number of fronts:

  • Improvements in access
  • Attractive, sustainable employment
  • Adequate, appropriate housing
  • Support for new, sustainable enterprises

Access to and from the islands has improved dramatically in the last ten years or so and the Department is committed to upgrading piers on many of the islands and providing airstrips on Inishbofin in Galway and Toraigh in Donegal.

In order to make island living attractive, we also must ensure that adequate health, education, waste management, childcare and social services are provided.

Tourism

Tourism is an important part of the economy on most of the islands and in order to boost tourism to the islands, a new tourism marketing campaign.

Renewable Energy

The provision of renewable energy is an issue of increasing importance and urgency, particularly for islands. Comhdháil, in partnership with the Department and Sustainable Energy Ireland, is committed to encouraging and supporting the development of renewable energy projects on the islands. We are currently embarking on an interregional project aimed at training islanders both how to conserve and generate renewable energy.

Local – National – European

We are fortunate that the funding programmes we administer and manage enable us to implement policies by supporting, for example, tourism projects or alternative energy projects at a local, national and transnational level. The Interreg  project, for which we are the lead partner, is also establishing examples of good practice on small European islands which will inform Comhdháil’s policies.

We are currently prioritising other policy issues to be pursued in the next few years.