Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if, in view of the increased footfall in persons hill walking and walking in general in the countryside here, especially in County Wicklow, in areas such as Luggala, his attention has been drawn to the effect that this is having in terms of erosion; if so, the measures being taken to curb erosion due to this increased football in our countryside; if his further attention has been drawn to the continued illegal use of dune buggies, scramblers and other motor vehicles on out national trails; his plans to ensure that their continued illegal use is halted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1505/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I am aware that the issue of erosion, as a consequence of the increasing popularity of outdoor activities including hill walking, is of increasing concern. The Rural Recreation Section within my Department oversees the implementation of the National Countryside Recreation Strategy (NCRS). The Strategic Objectives set out in the Strategy are:-

1. To achieve sustainable and responsible recreation in the countryside.

2. To promote caring recreational use of the countryside.

3. To develop a national framework that promotes the rights and responsibilities of both owners and users.

4. To develop a suitable structure to deliver a national countryside recreation service in a strategic and co-ordinated way.

5. To secure a package of funding mechanisms to deliver on the objectives of the strategy.

The ongoing development of the activity tourism sector is of strategic importance for Ireland given the potential to leverage job creation and improve exchequer revenue from both foreign and domestic tourism. Walking remains the most popular activity, with preliminary 2011 figures showing that over 740,000 overseas visitors claim to have gone hiking/cross-country walking in 2011. Existing measures to address erosion include the Walks Scheme and a pilot Mountain Access Scheme currently under development. The Walks Scheme represents an innovative response to facilitating the development and maintenance of many of Ireland's key walking trails. The main point of the Scheme is that it brings in the landholders as key participants in the provision of high quality walking trails, by contracting them to undertake maintenance work on the trails in line with agreed work plans. The Walks Scheme is currently operating on 40 trails supported by over 1,800 landowners and is being managed by 16 Local Development Companies around the country. The pilot Mountain Access Scheme is currently being implemented at Mount Gable in Connemara and a more significant scheme is being developed for Carrauntuohill and the MacGillicuddy Reeks in Co. Kerry. These pilot Mountain Access projects are being progressed with a view to developing best practice in relation to the sustainable trails and walking routes in the uplands. A focus of these pilots will be the management and repair of erosion and other negative consequences arising from increased activity in sensitive landscapes.

With regard to the alleged continued illegal use of quads, dune buggies, scramblers and other motor vehicles on national trails , such activity while undesirable and damaging to the landscape is generally not illegal, as there is no overarching legislation in place to that effect. Many of these trails cross private land and it is a matter for individual landowners to address, many of whom use quads and similar vehicles as part of their daily work practices. Where trails cross State lands it is a matter for the individual State Agencies to manage through Byelaws and subsequent enforcement.

However, this activity takes place off trail also, particularly in upland areas. A proportion of upland, coastal and other areas where such activities can take place are designated as Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas or Natural Heritage Areas. There is no general prohibition on the use of off-road vehicles in such areas. However, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has powers under Regulation 29 of the European Communities (Birds And Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, by ministerial Direction, to control specified activities where the Minister has reason to believe that these activities will have a significant effect on a European Site or an adverse effect on the integrity of a European Site. Activities to which Directions apply may include the operation or use of any off-road or other vehicle.