Galway Bay fm newsroom - An Oireachtas committee has heard strong contributions from Galway on the future of Ireland's offshore islands.
The Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development, and the Islands, was discussing the Government's 'Our Rural Future' document.
Contributing to the discussion was Cathy Ní Ghóill, Chair of Comhar na nOileán CTR and manager of Comharchumann Forbartha Árann on Inis Mor.
She outlined the difficulty of island life and the ongoing fight to preserve infrastructure, essential services and incentives - as well as the long-running failures to implementation various island plans in recent decades.
And she said there's a definite feeling that islanders are considered the poor relation of the rest of the country.
Also present for the discussion was Simon Murray of Inishbofin, a life-long islands advocate and member of the Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann Board.
He urged those in attendance to watch award-winning documentary, "Inishark, Death of an Island".
