Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will give an honest reply: I do. I believe it should be. The Deputy and I, and every rural Deputy, know that this Department deals daily with farmers and landowners. It is the Department that should be dealing with them. We asked the National Roads Authority, as it was then known, to deal with the greenway from Dublin to Galway and we saw what happened. It thought it was dealing with roads. That is not possible. When dealing with landowners and farmers, we have to show them respect and be able to talk to them. This Department is very good at that and 1,900 farmers are involved with, and getting payments from, the walks scheme. I looked to get responsibility for the greenways in this Department but responsibility still lies with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. With the new plan being put in place we must have a strategic plan to ensure that this Department, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and Fáilte Ireland work together. The Deputy is quite correct responsibility for all of this should lie with one Department, and it should be in this Department.

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