Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is saying that this must wait for legislation to be in place. That is a problem, though, as we all know how long it takes to get legislation through the Houses even when it is clear cut and easy. The Minister gave people a great deal of hope a few months ago when he stated that he would put a scheme in place. That was ill-thought out, given that there was no evidence that the proposal could be introduced quickly. People I have spoken to around the country, in particular people in the tourism business, tell me they are hoping to see more tourists visiting. Many tourists who are interested in walkways and in using our mountains are visiting Ireland, but the Minister is now saying that the hope he gave to the many parts of rural Ireland where that potential lies must await legislation, which will take a very long time. This will cause a major difficulty.

Is there an alternative way to do this? Has any alternative been considered? We must put something that works in place quickly. The issue of legislation just blows this out of the water.

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