Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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43. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development his priorities for the development of rural recreation in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1840/18]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister to the House. Given that he has already waited seven months, having to wait an extra 20 minutes beyond the scheduled time was not too much to ask of him.

I know the Minister has been anxious to come in here to answer questions. I do not know what his colleagues were doing that prevented them from facilitating him before now. It appears that the enormous potential of rural recreation has not been exploited over the past seven years. We are not developing rural recreation at the pace we should be. I would be interested to hear what will be the Minister's priorities for 2018. We are starting with a clean slate at the beginning of a new year.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy knows I have never been afraid to come into this House. I have been a Member of this House for a long time. I believe in procedure. As the Deputy is aware, the Department of Rural and Community Development is less than a year old. It took quite a while to set it up. I am proud of my achievements in setting up a new Department within a short period. The Deputy will recall that before the summer, we had a day-long debate on these issues. I said on that occasion that I was trying to get legislation put in place to ensure I could come in here and answer all the questions Deputies want to put to me. I love coming to this House to answer questions as best I can and that is what I intend to do. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for facilitating that.

The Action Plan for Rural Development includes a series of measures to maximise Ireland's rural tourism and recreation potential in recognition of the contribution these sectors make to rural economies. Actions under this pillar are implemented across a number of Departments and agencies. The Department of Rural and Community Development is delivering a number of funding initiatives which I will continue to deliver in 2018. For example, the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the maintenance, enhancement and promotion of existing outdoor recreation infrastructure. In 2016 and 2017, the scheme facilitated the development of greenways, blueways, walks and other trails across the country. This scheme will continue to support important local, regional and national rural recreation projects in 2018. In addition, the Department will work closely with Coillte to ensure the long-term maintenance and development of recreational infrastructure on Coillte lands for public use. My Department administers the walks scheme, under which landowners receive modest payments to maintain sections of national waymarked trails and other priority walks that cross their lands. Some 39 trails are covered by the scheme, under which approximately 1,900 landowners receive payments. A Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to double the number of walks on the scheme. A review of the scheme will be undertaken in 2018 to examine how best to make progress with this commitment.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

My Department has been working with the State Claims Agency on the development and putting in place of a national indemnity scheme to strengthen the protection of landowners in respect of recreational users of private lands. It is a priority of my Department to finalise this work this year. I anticipate that a scheme will be agreed in 2018. I am conscious that there has been a significant growth in the number of people engaging in outdoor pursuits across a wider range of activities. I want to ensure the countryside recreation sector can grow sustainably to support rural economies. In this context, I will review the national countryside recreation strategy and supporting structures in 2018 and consider any updates which may be necessary to underpin its continued sustainable growth.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. I understand that a review of Comhairle na Tuaithe was conducted in 2015-2016. It is now 2018. I understand that just one meeting of that body took place last year. I am of the view that it should meet regularly in order to create confidence, cohesion and co-operation between all the stakeholders. Why did Comhairle na Tuaithe meet just once last year? How often does the Minister expect it to meet this year? Does the Minister intend to attend its meetings, where possible, as I suggest he should?

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is quite correct when he says that just one meeting was held last year. I intend to meet that organisation very shortly.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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It is not an organisation, it is a committee of the Minister's Department.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I know that the committee is chaired by my Department. I will meet it in the near future to discuss my proposals. I have no difficulty with that. The Deputy is quite correct when he says that a review of the organisation was carried out. I will meet it shortly to discuss the best way to move forward. I guarantee the Deputy that this meeting will take place in the coming weeks. I will then decide how I can move forward with it. I will have those discussions with the organisation in the near future.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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If there is one thing that bedevils this Government it is that everything needs to be reviewed. I remind the Minister that time is running out for this Government. It does not have an enormous amount of time in which to fulfil its promises. How many extra walks have been brought under the walks scheme since 2011? How long will this review take? There is a commitment in the programme for Government to double the number of walks. I presume it is intended that this will happen within the period for which the confidence and supply arrangement lasts. The Government is on borrowed time beyond that. How many extra walks does the Government expect to include under this scheme by the end of the year? It will be time up, in effect, at that stage. What progress does the Minister intend to make with the mountain access scheme? As someone who lives adjacent to one of the mountains in question, it seems to me that the scheme is in exactly the same place as it was when I left the Department on 23 March 2010.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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This new Department was set up last year. The Government committed in the programme for Government to double the number of walks covered by the walks scheme. Approximately 1,900 farmers are involved in the scheme at present, which I intend to review. We need to review it to see how we can bring more farmers and more walks into it. That is one of my priorities for this year. We have given a commitment. I want to bring more people into the scheme. The Deputy knows that many farmers in his local area and my local area are crying out to be included in the scheme. The reasons for this do not relate to the level of payment involved. The very small payment they receive supplements their income. They do a very good job of maintaining the walks and the scheme. I am going to review it this year. We have given a commitment that we are going to double the walks scheme. I am not giving a commitment that I am going to double the walks scheme, but I am certainly going to review it.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has given such a commitment.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I am going to ensure that more farmers are included in the scheme for the coming year.