Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 23: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the work completed to date in relation to the expert group tasked with examining the legal aspects of the recommendations contained in the countryside recreation strategy; when this group will report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36902/06]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the expert group which is to examine countryside access issues for walkers has been established; the persons who comprise the group; and if there are countryside walkers represented within the group. [36895/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 52 together.

In its report on a national countryside recreation strategy, Comhairle na Tuaithe raised a number of legal issues to be addressed, along with a proposal that the Law Reform Commission be requested to make recommendations on the broad issue of access to the countryside for recreational users. Because of my concern to ensure that these issues are addressed as a matter of priority, I am establishing an expert group comprising, a leading Senior Counsel nominated by the Attorney General and a representative of the Office of the Attorney General, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and my own Department to urgently advise on tackling each of the legal issues raised by Comhairle na Tuaithe in its report.

I expect to receive the Attorney General's nomination of a Senior Counsel to chair the group over the coming days. A draft Terms of Reference for the expert group is to be considered over the next week by the members of Comhairle na Tuaithe which include representatives of State bodies with an interest in the countryside, the farming organisations and recreational users of the countryside.

I envisage that the expert group will report by the end April 2007 and that if the group considers that certain issues can be addressed in advance of that period that the group should prepare an interim report on those issues.