Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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10. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to develop rural recreation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19880/16]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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As Deputies know, there was quite a bit of work going on in the development of rural recreation up until 2010. Reading reports that we have received at the committee, it is a bit like Pompeii: nothing has moved since the minute the Government came in. What we are told is happening is exactly the way it was when I walked out of the Department. They say a new brush sweeps clean. Maybe the new Minister of State could outline the dynamic he is going to bring to this sector.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I certainly will be trying to do what the Deputy did in the earlier years. We were in more difficult times in 2010, as the Deputy knows. The Deputy knows what we inherited in 2011.

My Department’s walks scheme is currently operating on 39 trails supported by 1,908 landowners and is being managed by 16 local development companies around the country. The programme for a partnership Government includes a commitment to double the scheme during the lifetime of the Government and these matters will be addressed in the context of the forthcoming Estimates and the budgetary process. Officials in my Department are continuing to work closely with a number of State agencies to agree a national outdoor recreation plan for public lands and waters. A successful outcome to these discussions will provide the basis for a co-ordinated development of State lands for recreation and tourism purposes into the future.

My Department continues to be a main funding partner of Leave No Trace Ireland, which promotes responsible recreational use in the outdoors. It encourages all those engaged in outdoor activities to act responsibly and to do their part to protect lands used by the public for the benefit of the environment and for the future generations.

In the context of access to Ireland’s uplands for hill walking and similar activities, two pilots have been developed, one at Mount Gable in Connemara and the other in the Macgillycuddy's Reeks area in County Kerry. A management committee is now in place in the pilot in Kerry to provide guidance on issues associated with further roll-out of the scheme.

In addition to the development of trails and supports for use of the uplands, it is also important to ensure visitors and landowners protection as part of the development process. In this context, officials in my Department are working closely with the State Claims Agency in relation to the development and implementation of a national indemnity scheme, which would indemnify private landowners against claims from recreational users for injury or damage to property.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I have heard it all before. I set up the group that looked at the public lands and waterways to make sure that they were all made available.

Can the Minister of State say what progress was made on that in the past five years?

As regards the uplands, Binn Shléibhe - what the Minister of State knows as Mount Gable - and the MacGillycuddy Reeks were picked. That was progressing and in fact we put in the car parks in 2009. Living right beside Mount Gable, I know that nothing has really happened since. Perhaps the Minister of State could give an outline of what he thinks happened.

We were looking at the indemnity issue which has become much more critical since a rather strange court judgment was given on it. That was also on the table in 2009 and early 2010 when I left office. Will the Minister of State admit that nothing happened in the past five years? Will he make up for lost time? Giving back to me what I had in place and saying that it is exactly where it was, is really too weak.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy knows, this Department did not have responsibility for the legality of it. Since I came into office, great progress has been made, although I am concerned about some things. It is unfair on landowners if the general public are using their lands and a landowner has to go to court to defend himself. My Department is talking to the State Claims Agency and we have made a lot of progress. I intend to make an announcement on that in the coming weeks. If at all possible, I intend that the landowners will not be liable. If there is a problem, the State Claims Agency will defend such cases in the courts. It is wrong if a landowner makes his land available and then somebody goes up a mountain and is injured. We saw that in a recent court case and I am glad the case is being appealed because the original judgment will frighten farmers and other landowners over their lands being used by the public.

I assure the Deputy that we have made substantial progress in recent weeks and I am happy with it. I will revert to the Deputy in the coming months. I am delighted with the two pilot schemes, particularly the one in Kerry. We have the same problem with Croagh Patrick because everyone wants to climb it, yet nobody wants to take responsibility for it. That is because they are all afraid that whoever takes responsibility will have to go to court and pay. I hope that in the coming weeks we will have good news concerning my Department's proposal.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister of State might explain what his colleagues were doing for the past five years. He seems to be bringing a little bit of energy to this matter, which was missing before now. Does he agree that if they would only give him responsibility for marine leisure as well as rural recreation, he could create 6,000 jobs in five years in this sector? The possibilities for pot-holing, cliff-climbing and other activities are limited only by a person's imagination. We have the perfect playground for those who want to get involved in marine or countryside activities. Will the Minister of State be given responsibility for marine leisure? Does he agree that 6,000 jobs could be created in five years if the effort and investment were put in? That would be the equivalent of many IDA Ireland factories spread around rural Ireland.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I would love to take all the responsibilities I can get because the more responsibility one has, the bigger budget and the better chance one has of spending it.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Good on the Minister of State. Keep going.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I agree with the Deputy. When I was Minister of State with responsibility for tourism, I remember people condemning me about the Wild Atlantic Way. They laughed and said it was another gimmick that would never work. It did work, however, and it created jobs.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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It worked well.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is one of the greatest tourism projects we have ever had in the west. We will now continue with the blueways plan for inland waterways. I will be working with Fáilte Ireland to ensure it rolls that out. The Deputy is correct that there are many jobs to be created in the outdoor activity sector. People want to get involved in such pursuits and are healthier and fitter as a result. The Government and Fáilte Ireland are committed to promoting such activities, as well as investing major funding in the sector. It is the Minister's job and mine to get as much of that funding as possible. I know that the Deputy will, both in committees and here in the Chamber, make a plea to the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance to give us the money.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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We have.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Minister, myself and the Minister of State, Deputy Kyne, will create those jobs. There will be so many people working in the west of Ireland that they will give us the required support and money. All Departments should be more biased towards rural areas which have been neglected for too long. We need to revitalise them.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I look forward to that. The Minister of State mentioned Mount Gable and I am sure he is aware that the Tuatha Dé Danann met at the top of the mountain before they fought the Fir Bolg over in Magh Tuireadh.