Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I am very pleased to inform the House that Comhairle na Tuaithe has completed its work on the development of a national countryside recreation strategy. Its report was presented to me in September.

Comhairle na Tuaithe comprises representatives of State bodies with an interest in the countryside, the farming organisations and recreational users of the countryside and is chaired by my Department. Comhairle na Tuaithe's strategy defines the scope and vision for countryside recreation and it sets out the broad principles under which it recommends that sustainable countryside recreation can be managed into the future. The members of Comhairle na Tuaithe, with the exception of the Irish Farmers Association, have endorsed the report.

Comhairle na Tuaithe's vision encompasses a countryside which welcomes all visitors who practise responsible use of the resource and where the rights and responsibilities of both landowners and recreational users are respected. The report sets out the broad principles under which it recommends that sustainable countryside recreation can be managed into the future. It also sets out the tasks which Comhairle na Tuaithe recommends should be undertaken to achieve this vision and recommends the actions needed to be taken and by which bodies.

I welcome the report and wish to put on record my thanks to the members of Comhairle na Tuaithe for all their hard work and dedication in coming to this agreement. I will study the recommended strategy and will consult as appropriate with other Departments and public bodies on the wider recommendations in the report.

Comhairle na Tuaithe has raised a number of legal issues to be addressed and I am concerned to ensure that these matters are addressed as a matter of priority. To expedite matters, I intend to establish an expert group, comprising a senior counsel and officials from the Office of the Attorney General, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and from my Department, to urgently advise on tackling each of the legal issues raised.

I also intend taking a number of immediate actions arising from my initial consideration of the report. I will make €1.5 million funding available for capital work under the rural social scheme and I will ask implementing bodies, which are in most cases Leader companies, to give particular priority to walkways and ancillary services.

Fáilte Ireland has already identified a selection of looped walks which it has publicised in its brochure, Walking Ireland, and on its website. My Department, in consultation with the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, Fáilte Ireland, Comhar Leader na hÉireann and the national waymarked ways advisory committee, is identifying further looped walks and waymarked ways for development. Details will be made available over the coming weeks and months of the work required to bring these up to the best international standards. It is my intention to set aside a further €1.5 million for this purpose.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

The rural development package 2007-2013 means a trebling of EU and national funding for rural development under a Leader-type programme. Three of my priorities under this programme will be the development of recreational tourism, including the development of facilities for walking, cycling, angling, pony trekking, bird watching etc, and ancillary facilities, such as car parking and other services such as signage, village renewal etc; the complementary development of the broader rural tourism package, such as upgraded accommodation, food tourism and other services; and the development of small or regional food sectors to add significantly to the unique experience for our visitors.

I have reached agreement with Fáilte Ireland for the employment of up to ten walk managers under the community services programme to promote walking tourism in areas where there are clusters of suitable and accessible walks.

I consider a localised community-based approach is the way forward where countryside recreation and issues relating to access to the countryside for this purposes arise. I believe that the majority of people in rural areas see the benefit of these local solutions brought about by working in partnership together. Where it is not possible to reach agreement in a particular area, alternative routes should be explored and developed.

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