Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he is satisfied with the progress made to date by Comhairle na Tuaithe in developing a national countryside recreation strategy; his views on the need to develop such a strategy; when this task will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18385/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate the work carried out by Comhairle na Tuaithe over recent years. I established Comhairle na Tuaithe in 2004 to address the three issues of access to the countryside, developing a countryside code and developing a national countryside recreation strategy. 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 comprises representatives of the farming organisations, recreational users of the countryside and State bodies with an interest in the countryside. Comhairle na Tuaithe's established separate working groups, which report at regular intervals to the full comhairle, to address the three specific areas of its mandate.

In its work to date, Comhairle na Tuaithe has identified and agreed a set of access parameters to the countryside, which it believes will serve as a basis for conflict prevention and which integrates a variety of needs and responsibilities. Comhairle na Tuaithe has also agreed the key features necessary for countryside code development, with a focus on the potential application of the internationally recognised leave no trace initiative. Leave no trace is an outdoor ethics programme, which explains to visitors their role in caring for the countryside, others and themselves while visiting the countryside, forest or other areas of outdoor recreation.

Details of the access parameters and the countryside code are available in a booklet which I launched last September and are on my Department's website at www.pobail.ie. Comhairle na Tuaithe works in partnership with stakeholder organisations to develop a national countryside recreation strategy. Its strategy working group heads up this work. All members of Comhairle na Tuaithe have been actively involved in the development of the strategy and I appreciate that they have devoted time from their busy schedules to carry out this important work.

The purpose of the countryside recreation strategy will be to define the scope and vision for countryside recreation as agreed by Comhairle na Tuaithe. It will set out the broad principles under which Comhairle na Tuaithe recommends that sustainable countryside recreation can be managed into the future.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

To ensure the development of the strategy is informed by the wishes of the many stakeholders in this area, Comhairle na Tuaithe embarked on a consultation phase before beginning work on drafting the strategy. It invited submissions from interested individuals and groups. This invitation appeared in the national and provincial newspapers at the end of October last year and, in addition, Comhairle na Tuaithe wrote to groups representing recreational interests, State agencies and relevant Departments seeking their views. A total of 190 submissions were received in answer to this call. The work of examining the submissions received has been completed and the drafting of a countryside recreation strategy is proceeding.

I expect Comhairle na Tuaithe's report to include a synopsis of the views received in the submissions from interested parties, Comhairle na Tuaithe's vision for countryside recreation over the coming years, a discussion on the challenges to achieving that vision and an implementation action plan. I look forward to receiving a report on a national countryside recreation strategy from Comhairle na Tuaithe over the coming weeks.

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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I am sure the Minister agrees that when one considers Comhairle na Tuaithe has been established for more than two and a half years, few concrete results can be seen. As far as hill walking or walking in the country is concerned, the number of visitors to our shores who want to engage in that pleasant activity has dropped by 50% since 2000. I believe Leader published figures indicating such a drastic drop.

This will have major consequences and detrimental effects on rural areas. The Minister is responsible for rural development. One need only consider the number of bed and breakfasts and guesthouses in rural areas closing and taking down their signs because people are not coming. This is the tourism for which such establishments cater. Walkers do not usually go to five star hotels. One does not find them in Dromoland Castle or Ashford Castle. One finds them in little bed and breakfasts in picturesque areas of the country.

Will the Minister agree that something must be done? The number of angling tourists has also dropped. This has a detrimental effect on the economy of picturesque areas of rural Ireland. How do Scotland, England and Wales manage? I am told that England and Wales have seven times the number of hill walkers we have. It is not beyond the Minister's capability and that of Comhairle na Tuaithe to solve this problem. The farmers and hill walkers are reasonable people. Surely the two sides can be brought together so the tailspin we have gone into, as far as hill walkers are concerned, can be reversed. Following from this, these bed and breakfast accommodations, as well as other facilities in rural areas in the west of Ireland, can have an economic future.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I agree numbers are down, and we must ask why. The product is the same as it was in 2000. As the Deputy will know, two issues have had an influence on numbers. The first was the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, which nobody could do anything about. The way we handled it was the best way, but there were clear disadvantages to it.

The second and more damaging issue is one which we have set out to ensure will never be repeated. This is conflict on the hills and the reporting of conflict on the hills. I have no doubt that the stories of conflict and people being challenged, which are reported extensively nationally and internationally inhibits people coming to our country. The first action carried out by Comhairle na Tuaithe was to get people around a table to get agreement on how parameters would work. I have already outlined how this was done.

The rest of the market has moved on. It became obvious when we began to examine the issue that even if those downturns had never happened, our product was not developed enough. We have looked at international best practice. When I was in New Zealand around St. Patrick's Day, we had extensive discussions regarding matters in New Zealand which were very similar to here. That country is considered to have best practice. We are also developing a countryside recreation strategy, and it is useful to be able to benchmark it with best international practice.

There has been extensive consultation, and 190 submissions were received. I hope to receive the Comhairle na Tuaithe recreation strategy in the near future. It will be a road map; it will outline the steps we must take to ensure we have top-class rural recreation facilities, not just walkways.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Minister should be brief. We have already spent seven minutes on this question.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy can be assured we have a very clear roadmap worked out, and we are working steadily towards an ultimate goal. We will succeed.