Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The concern relates to instances where a person might have had a right of way that has been used for many generations. The initial response I received from the Department was that people would still be able to register. However, the clock resets to zero which means that even if you have had 30 or 40 years of usage, it counts for nothing. We know that some have been moving blockages into place in certain rights of way and things have been set up for problems in anticipation of that.

I welcome that the Department is removing the provisions. I would appreciate engagement around that because I have my own legislation for extension and I need to see Government legislation before I remove it. The crucial thing is that we take action before 30 November in order that we have the space to look at what the solutions might be. I hope the Minister of State will indicate that he will engage with myself and others. When I see the detail of the Government's removal, it will help me decide whether I will press on my five-year extension. Some public awareness of rights of way would be valuable regardless. There has been huge confusion and quite an amount of alarm regarding this matter.