Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 5: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he was correctly quoted in a publication (details supplied) of 11 February 2005 in which it was reported that walkers using mountain walkways could possibly be charged a fee; and his views on whether a statement of this type compromises the work of bodies he has established to deal with the issue. [11493/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I have no proposals for the introduction of fees for the use of walkways. I have made clear my view that a local community-based approach is the way forward where issues of access to the countryside arise. I established the consultation group on access to waymarked ways in April 2003 to consider the issues that had arisen in relation to access to some waymarked ways following the cessation of payment to landowners under the REPS.

In February 2004, I established a countryside council, Comhairle na Tuaithe, to address issues relating to waymarked ways and access. This decision followed consideration by the rural agri-tourism advisory group of a report presented by the consultation group on access to waymarked ways. The establishment of a countryside council was the key recommendation of the report.

Comhairle na Tuaithe has the following aims: to ensure that all those with an interest and concern in the sustainable development and proper management of the recreational amenities of the countryside are fully consulted on their future management; to develop and update, as necessary, a national countryside recreation strategy; to ensure that all means necessary are used to resolve conflicts that arise in relation to access issues and responsible enjoyment of the countryside; to raise awareness of the benefits to and responsibilities of recreational use of the countryside and to carry out research and training on related issues; to ensure that adequate funding is made available to allow the organisation to achieve these aims; and to examine the benefits and management of increased leisure use.

Comhairle na Tuaithe consists of representatives from the farming organisations, recreational users of the countryside and State bodies with an interest in the countryside. It has approached its work in the spirit of co-operation and through working groups which progress components of these aims.

The most recent meeting of Comhairle na Tuaithe was held on 7 March 2005. Working group meetings are scheduled in the near future and the next meeting of Comhairle na Tuaithe is planned for early May 2005. I look forward to receiving a report from Comhairle na Tuaithe following its consideration of the issues arising. I will carefully consider any proposals which Comhairle na Tuaithe may make to me.

However, as I have made clear on a number of occasions, it is only through working together as a community on this issue and reaching an amicable agreement which accommodates all sides that these issues can best be addressed. We can then strengthen the positive image of rural Ireland and, crucially, further develop rural tourism.

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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I take it from the Minister's reply that he was misquoted in the report in The Connacht Tribune of 11 February in which he is reported to have spoken to a Fianna Fáil cumman. I understand what the linguistic gymnastics in talking to such a gathering might involve and how it might be interpreted in such a way. Will the Minister state that the quote was not representative of his views or of any policy of the Government? While there are legitimate issues to be tackled in regard to the liability of landowners and how they can be protected in situations where the public is using recognised walkways, charging for the use of recognised walkways should not be on the table given the terms of Comhairle na Tuaithe to encourage greater use of such facilities for health and recreational purposes and for broadening the tourism potential of such activity, particularly in many isolated areas.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for tabling this question. I rarely bother to correct inaccuracies in newspapers. I do so occasionally but most of the time I let them pass, otherwise I would spend most of my life doing nothing other than writing to newspapers. In this case, I wrote to the editor of The Connacht Tribune, although I did not write when the initial report was published because I thought there was no point. The Deputy knows about quotes and misquotes. However, when Keep Ireland Open wrote to The Connacht Tribune on 4 March, I wrote this letter to the editor:

Dear Editor

I refer to the letter written by the above to your newspaper on the above date, in which he makes remarks on comments attributed to me at a meeting of a Fianna Fáil Cumman in Recess (Connacht Notes, The Connacht Tribune, 11 February).

I would like to clarify that the remarks, as attributed to me, were not in my view a clear and fair representation of what I said at that meeting. As the reporter in question did not contact me to verify the accuracy of the remarks, and as the reporter was not, also, present at the meeting, I take it that the report was written on the basis of second hand reporting of the discussion at what was a private meeting.

As I said at the end of my letter, my views on walkways issues are well known and have been articulated time and again in public fora, particularly at the conference in Portlaoise.