Island businesses affected by ferry disruption will share £3m over the current financial year as part of a Scottish government support package.

CalMac's west coast ferry network was badly disrupted by breakdowns earlier this year.

During the Holyrood election campaign First Minister John Swinney announced a new SNP government would set up a £10m resilience fund.

Swinney confirmed the first phase of funding ahead of a three-day visit which will take in Barra, South Uist, Grimsay, Scalpay, Lewis and Harris.

He said the £10m islands resiliance fund, which covers the lifetime of the parliament, was one of his party's commitments for the first 100 days of the new government.

Swinney added: "Scotland's islands are home to a wealth of talent, innovation and entrepreneurialism, but too often island businesses are held back by circumstances outside their control.

"This fund will support businesses to cope with challenging circumstances, helping them to thrive and ensuring that Scotland's islands remain attractive places to set up businesses and livelihoods."

The first minister said the £3m investment for 2026/27 would result in immediate support while the foundations are laid for longer-term investment before the 2031 election.

Rachel Hunter, director of Enterprise and Community Support at Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), welcomed the money.

She said: "The Islands Resilience Fund will ensure that support reaches more island communities and sectors experiencing the effects of ferry disruption.

"By opening eligibility, we can provide practical assistance to businesses and community organisations that have experiences additional costs and challenges beyond their control."

Hunter said organisations that had received support through previous rounds of the funding would be contacted directly by HIE and would not need to submit an application.

The window for fund applications, which will be administered by HIE, will open at 12:00 on Monday 17 August.

She added: "This investment will help strengthen resilience across our island communities, supporting organisations to adapt, recover and continue contributing to vibrant and sustainable local economies."

In June Scotland's new Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn visited the Western Isles to hear first hand islanders' concerns about air and ferry travel.

As well as the ferry issues Loganair reduced flights between the islands and Inverness in July.

Just days before Flynn's visit, the results of a Visit Outer Hebrides survey suggested 96% of island businesses had encountered problems due to ferry disruption since the start of the year.

At one point in April, 10 vessels from CalMac's 32-strong ferry fleet were out of action due to technical faults, annual overhauls or crewing issues.

The company has said the disruption was "unprecedented" and its fleet had now returned to normal operations.