Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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48. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if Comhairle na Tuaithe has made any recommendation in relation to legislating for countryside access; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28058/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Comhairle Na Tuaithe, was established in January 2004 to address the three priority issues of:

- Access to the countryside

- Developing a countryside code

- Developing the National Countryside Recreation Strategy (published in 2006).

Through Comhairle Na Tuaithe (CNaT), a set of agreed parameters to facilitate access to the countryside for recreational users were set out. The then Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs formed the view that the best way forward was to develop permissive access with the agreement of landholders via such initiatives as the Walks Scheme and Pilot Mountain Access Projects. These initiatives developed through CNaT continue to be implemented by a team of Rural Recreation Officers, employed by Local Development Companies , who also assist in resolving access issues on the ground. The consensus approach adopted is underpinned by the principle of mutual respect between landowners and recreational users, with the acceptance of the rights of landowners in regard to access to their land and the need for recreational users to have reasonable access to the countryside. To date, Comhairle na Tuaithe has made no recommendation in relation to legislating for countryside access.