Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Building on the remarks of the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, I would like to outline for the committee my role in this area. In so far as the 2016 Estimates are concerned, €2.7 million will be spent under subhead E.8 to discharge existing commitments on the walks scheme. There was a commitment to expand the walks scheme in A Programme for a Partnership Government and plans in that regard will be developed during 2016, subject to the availability of funding, with a view to rolling out an expanded scheme in 2017. This is an important element of a broader commitment set out in the programme to provide for significant capital investment to take the Wild Atlantic Way to the next level, including an Atlantic blueway route and the Ireland Way, and to invest further in developing a nationwide greenway network. My Department looks forward to playing a central role in that process.

In addition, I envisage €3.5 million being spent on small-scale development and enhancement of existing rural recreation infrastructure. Other ongoing issues in 2016 include the roll-out of the mountain access scheme, the implementation of the national indemnity scheme and the negotiations with other State agencies to agree a national outdoor recreation plan for public lands and waters in Ireland.

My Department was also assigned responsibility for acting on the recommendations of the final report of the post office business development group, including supporting the implementation of a basic payment account and enabling the payment of motor tax through the post office network. The various Departments, including my Department, the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, are working together, along with NewERA, to develop the business case that will be brought back to Government shortly. Funding of any initiatives in this area in 2016 will be met from within the overall Vote.

The Tidy Towns competition organised by my Department and sponsored by SuperValu continues to be a well-recognised and successful way of encouraging community participation and volunteerism. It attracts a large number of entries every year. My Department also supports other related competitions like the Best Kept competition, which is a North-South collaboration involving eight towns from the South and six from the North in 2016. Tullamore in County Offaly and Straffan in County Kildare have been entered into the Entente Florale competition, an EU-wide competition, while Letterkenny in County Donegal is participating in the Communities in Bloom competition. The Minister and I will take any questions.