Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 135: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No 63 of 8 December 2011, the current status of discussions as outlined in your previous answer; the progress that has been made in relation to this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24415/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Ireland's Waymarked Ways and the majority of other walking routes are "permissive access routes" that have been developed with the landowners' agreement; they are not public rights of way. Some Government and semi-state organisations also encourage access to their lands for public enjoyment (e.g. Coillte). Even in these areas, access is permissive and the public do not have a right of access. Given the importance of continued improvement of the Wicklow Way, I requested that discussions be initiated with local landowners to see if agreed access can be secured in respect of the section of lands referred to in Question 63 of 8 December 2011. These discussions are ongoing, but as yet permission has not been secured from the private landowner to reroute the section of the Wicklow Way in question. It is intended that these efforts will continue, but ultimately progress in this area requires the goodwill and consent of the relevant landowner.

Some progress is being achieved in relation to identifying appropriate reroutes of some sections of the Wicklow Way off busy public roads. A section of approximately 1km in length has been identified in the area of Ballinastoe that can be moved off road, subject to the availability of funding. Options are currently being examined in that regard. There are also possibilities around rerouting some on road sections, totalling about 1.5 km, in the area of Tinahely on the southern section of the trail. The maintenance and improvement of long distance walking routes and National Waymarked Ways is an ongoing project, with the intention of having no more than 10% of such priority routes on road. Given the current limitations on resources it will take time to achieve such improvements.