Vol. 629 No. 4
36 D’fhiafraigh Mr. McGinley den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cad é an dul chun cinn atá déanta maidir le dílárú Fhoras na Gaeilge go Gaoth Dobhair, an bhfuil aon dáta socraithe don aistriú agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [42992/06]
Mar a thug mé le fios mar fhreagra ar cheisteanna sa Teach seo cheana, tá iarrtha ar bhord Fhoras na Gaeilge moltaí sonracha a dhéanamh maidir leis na céimeanna a bheidh i gceist chun 30 post a lonnú i nGaoth Dobhair, chomh maith leis na rannóga agus na feidhmeanna a bheidh lonnaithe ann. Cé go raibh súil agam na moltaí a bheith faighte roimhe seo, tuigim anois go mbeidh siad ar fáil go luath san athbhliain. Ar ndóigh, ní bheidh dáta le sonrú don aistriú go dtí go mbeidh na moltaí scrúdaithe agus aontaithe ag an gComhairle Aireachta Thuaidh-Theas.
Is cinnte gur beagán dul chun cinn atá déanta maidir leis an cheist seo, nuair a chuimhnímid go bhfuil trí bliana caite ó fógraíodh an clár díláraithe sa Teach. Ní bhaineann na fadhbanna seo le Foras na Gaeilge amháin. Sílim go bhfuil moill de shórt éigin i ngach Roinn a bhí le dul go dtí ceantair áirithe ar fud na tuaithe. Tuigim go bhfuil dul chun cinn áirithe déanta chomh fada is a bhaineann sé le dílárú an Roinn Gnótháí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta go dtí Cnoc Mhuire. Mar sin féin, bhí Foras na Gaeilge luaite le dul go dtí an Ghaeltacht ó thuaidh. Tá an Roinn Gnóthaí Sóisialacha agus Teaghlaigh le dul go dtí baile Dhún na nGall agus Bun Cranncha, ach níl aon dul chun cinn déanta. Is ábhar buartha dúinn uilig é sin. Dúirt an tAire go bhfuil sé ag súil le tuairisc ó Fhoras na Gaeilge go luath sa bhliain úr. Tá súil agam go dtiocfaidh sé sin. Idir an dá linn, an féidir leis insint dúinn an bhfuil ionad nó áit socraithe nó aimsithe go fóill? Cá mbeidh na daoine seo lonnaithe nuair a bheidh siad díláraithe ó thuaidh? Cén dul chun cinn atá déanta maidir le hoifigí, srl., a chur ar fáil dóibh? Nuair a rachaidh siad ó thuaidh, an féidir linn glacadh leis go mbeidh siad ina gcónaí go háitiúil? Sílim go bhfuil sé an-tábhachtach go mbeidh daoine mar sin — le Gaeilge agus le postanna atá teanga-láraithe agus teanga-bhunaithe — ina gcónaí sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. An mbeidh aon rialacha, treoirlínte nó cuspóir mar sin i gceist? Tuigimid an mhaitheas atá á déanamh agus an díograis atá á taispeáint don Ghaeilge i nDáilcheantar an Aire. Tá Údarás na Gaeltachta, TG4, an Roinn agus an coimisinéir lonnaithe ann. Cuireann sé sin díograis leis an teanga. Nuair a théann daoine mar sin go dtí an Ghaeltacht, tá sé an-tábhachtach go bhfuil siad lonnaithe ansin. An bhfuil ionad déanta amach? Cén uair atá an tAire ag súil go mbeidh daoine ag dul ansin? An mbeidh siad lonnaithe sa cheantar nó an mbeidh aon treoir faoi sin?
Tá súil agam nach fíor don Teachta nach bhfuil aon rud déanta ag Foras na Gaeilge faoi seo. Tá an cás thar a bheith soiléir. Tá mé ag fanacht ar phlean gnó. Beidh na rudaí éagsúla maidir le foirgnimh, srl., sonraithe ansin. Ar dhá chúis, níor cheart go mbeadh sé seo ródheacair. Tá 65 postanna ceadaithe don fhoras, ach níl ach 44 daoine ag obair sa bhforas faoi láthair. Tá 21 post fós le líonadh. B'fhéidir go bhfuil cuid acu siúd sa Tuaisceart — caithfimid é sin a thógáil san áireamh. Is tús maith a bheidh ann má líontar na postanna sin. Tá ceann de na heastáit tionsclaíochta nó heastáit gnó ar cheann de na háiseanna is fearr atá ann. Tá dul chun cinn iontach déanta ag Údarás na Gaeltachta le gairid leis an eastát áirithe. De réir mar a thuigim an méid atá i gceist, beidh saoráidí den scoth ar fáil don phobal a bheidh ag obair ann, chomh maith le muintir Ghaoth Dobhair go ginearálta, ar an eastát. Mar sin, níor cheart go mbeadh aon fhadhb ann teacht ar láthair thar a bheith feiliúnach. Mar is eol don Teach, d'éirigh le Ollscoil na Gaillimhe dul i gcomhairle leis an údarás chun áit thar a bheith foirfe agus feiliúnach a fháil ar an eastát. Tá mé cinnte go mbeidh an t-údarás sásta a leithéad a dhéanamh arís don fhoras. Tá sé curtha in iúl agam trí oifigigh na Roinne agus an fhorais go bhfuil mé ag súil go bhfaighidh mé an plean gnó san athbhliain. Mar a luaigh an Teachta, níor éirigh linn é seo a dhéanamh laistigh de thrí bliana. Tá díomá orm faoi sin. Go ginearálta, i dtaobh mo Roinne féin, tá níos mó ná 20 duine lonnaithe cheana féin ar an gClochán ag Pobal. Tá beagnach leath den mhéid atá le dul go Cnoc Mhuire lonnaithe i dTobar an Choire. Sílim go bhfuil post nó dhó as an dílárú le líonadh sna Forbacha. Is é an dílárú seo an t-aon cheann nár tharla dul chun cinn suntasach leis. Tá sé curtha in iúl don fhoras ag oifigigh mo Roinne ar mo shon go bhfuilimid ag súil go mbeidh dul chun cinn le seo go fíor-luath.
An féidir leis an Aire a rá, mar gur eagraíocht tras-Teorann é seo, an raibh aon comhráite aige lena chomhghleacaithe nó lena mhacsamhail ó Thuaidh? An bhfuil na deacrachtaí ag an leibhéal sin réitithe? An bhfuil deacrachtaí ann go fóill?
Níl aon deacrachtaí ann. Bhí comhráite le bheith ar bun. Bhí siad sin ann. Nuair a bhí an obair ar fad déanta, bhí cruinniú agam le David Hanson MP, a bhí mar aire stáit ag feidhmiú sa gcuid sin d'oifig Thuisceart Éireann ag an am áirithe sin. Nuair a bhuaileamar le chéile i mí Márta na bliana seo caite, rinne mé cinneadh foirmiúil i leith na ceiste seo. Níl aon bhaint aige sin leis an scéal. Iarradh ar an bhforas ag an am sin plean gnó a réiteach agus a chur faoi bhráid an dá Roinn. Tá mé ag fanacht ar an bplean gnó ó mhí Márta seo caite. Chun a bheith fírinneach, tá an-díomá orm nach mbeidh sé faighte agam roimh an Nollaig. Tá sé sin á rá go hoscailte agam.
37 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the recent funding of €17,000 to the Dublin City Business Association to display Irish language Christmas lights will be extended to cities and towns throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42867/06]
This grant was awarded to the Dublin City Business Association under the fochiste gnó. This scheme, which was announced by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on 26 November 2005, was open to applicants throughout the country. It is intended that the scheme will be advertised again early in 2007. Applications which meet the criteria for the scheme will be considered in the context of the available allocation at that time.
I thank the Minister for his reply. I have seldom read a more enthusiastic or euphoric press statement from any Minister than the statement that was issued on 21 November last by the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, about this lighting scheme. He said at the lighting-up ceremony that the lights represent much more than simply "Nollaig Shona". He said that they stand for the increasing re-awakening of interest in the Irish language in Dublin. He went on to describe the lights as symbolising the forthcoming global shedding of light on the Irish language. He was referring to the official languages initiative at EU level, which will begin on 1 January next.
The Minister sees this initiative as being so productive, all-embracing and symbolic that it is not enough for him to tell us he will advertise the scheme. I am not sure that business associations in cities and towns throughout the country are aware that funding is available for projects of this nature. Will the Minister consider making it known to such associations that money is available for this worthwhile initiative? I note there has been an increase of 18%, to €1.5 million, in the Estimates for the cultural and social schemes this year. If schemes like that are so productive, the Minister should do much more to highlight the fact that such funding is available.
I agree with the Deputy. We do our best through press releases and contacting various projects to make people aware of these schemes but sometimes people apply because they know a grant is available. What struck me as being important in this case was that the people involved, the business traders in Dublin, got the idea of having the slogans on the Christmas lights in Irish. They approached our Department looking for help and we pointed out that we have this fochoiste gnó. They did not do it for the grant; they did it because they believed it was something that should be done. The money we gave was modest compared to the total cost of the lights. All we paid for was the part of the lights that had the Irish on them; the total cost was €16,687. What was important was that the business people of Dublin, who invested hundreds of thousands of euro in these lights, thought it would be a good idea to use the Irish language to make Dublin different. That was the point they made. That indicates a positive shift in attitudes. That is the reason I felt this was so important. Money is available and I take on board what the Deputy said. We normally expect the chambers of commerce, business associations and the local authorities to match our funding. I will examine the possibility of getting a list of all the chambers of commerce and local authorities and writing to them indicating we are re-advertising the scheme. Nobody will be able to say they did not know about it. I would like more people to come forward with their projects but they must come up with the matching funding as well. It is a three-pronged approach.
38 Mr. McHugh asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will report on his discussions with the Department of Transport on the provision of a rural transport service in parts of rural Ireland not already provided with such a service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43320/06]
While I have not had any recent discussions with my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, regarding the provision of a rural transport service, I am very aware of the work he is doing in this regard and I fully support the rural transport initiatives being operated by his Department.
Indeed, the rural transport initiative, RTI, has been a great success. It has been operating on a pilot basis since 2002 and, under the initiative, 34 community transport groups around the country are being funded to address the transport needs of their areas through the provision of local transport services. RTI projects provide public transport services for people in rural areas who otherwise would not have access to transport for shopping and accessing basic essential services.
The pilot phase of the RTI finishes at the end of this year and preparations are under way to mainstream the RTI from 2007 onwards in line with Government commitments in the matter. I understand that a budget of €9 million will be provided for the RTI in 2007.
As articulated in the White Paper on Rural Development, the Government remains committed to providing essential public services in rural areas to ensure a proper environment for economic development, promote social inclusion and support dispersed, viable rural communities.
I am surprised the Minister has not had discussions with the Minister for Transport on rural transport because in his capacity as Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs he has a major responsibility to address the anomaly that exists in rural Ireland in that some areas have a transport system while others do not. My constituency of Galway South, for example, has a rural transport service but north-east Galway does not have such a service.
The Minister will agree that senior citizens living in this city have free travel and can travel throughout the city at no personal cost. On other occasions the Minister or his colleagues may have made great play out of the fact that senior citizens are entitled to free transport. One may be entitled to something but if it does not exist, surely the Minister will agree it cannot be availed of. I put it to the Minister that this is discrimination against the people in rural Ireland, those whom the Minister is charged with representing in his capacity as Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Our Constitution, which was crafted by the Minister's grandfather, purports to treat all the people equally but the Minister and his Government are upholding a situation where discrimination is being practised against people in this country.
The Deputy should confine himself to questions, not statements.
I ask the Minister to give an undertaking that in his capacity as Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs he will ensure this discrimination and treatment of rural elderly people as second class citizens will be addressed immediately and that areas such as north-east Galway will be provided with a rural transport service as a matter of urgency.
The easiest way for the Deputy to get an answer to this question is to ask the Minister involved.
This Minister, in his capacity as Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, has a responsibility in this area as well.
No. I do not have a responsibility in this area. The Minister for Transport——
They are the Minister's people who are left without a service.
All the people of Ireland are my people——
No.
——when it comes to that. If we look at it logically, I have responsibility for rural affairs, all the deprived areas through the RAPID programme and so on. One could hardly find an area in which my Department, because of its geographic remit, does not have an input. If the Government had not made the mainframe decisions, intensive discussions would probably be taking place between my Department and the Department of Transport but as I said in my reply, we are mainstreaming the service. We are also providing a good deal of extra money. I do not need to highlight for the Minister for Transport, who represents a rural constituency, the various issues, some of which the Deputy has mentioned. I have no doubt that with the extra funding he will try to ensure that as many areas as possible are covered but having made the major decision I must now give him space to work out the minor details. I am sure the Deputy will welcome the fact that it is now mainstreamed and that there is more money for the rural transport scheme. As he is aware, I am very anxious that these schemes operate as far as possible through existing organisations that are expanding to ensure we do not keep reinventing the wheel and that we get economies of scale. I understand in some areas the rural social scheme, for example, has been used. I am in favour of those innovative solutions but it is fundamentally an issue for the Minister for Transport. The major decisions have been made. I do not need to remake them for him.
39 D’fhiafraigh Mr. McGinley den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an raibh comhráite idir é féin agus an Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta maidir le hionad oideachais Gaeilge i mBaile Bhuirne, Corcaigh; cad é an dul chun cinn atá déanta go dtí seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [43303/06]
Mar a chuir mé in iúl don Teachta cheana, bhí cruinnithe agus plé agam leis an tAire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta ar ócáidí éagsúla maidir leis an gceist atá luaite ag an Teachta. Bhí an cás mar ábhar plé freisin ag cruinnithe éagsúla idir oifigigh mo Roinne agus oifigigh na Roinne Oideachais agus Eolaíochta. Chomh maith leis sin, d'fhreastail oifigigh de chuid mo Roinne ar shraith chruinnithe sa Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta i rith an tsamhraidh, tráth ar pléadh an cheist leis an gComhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta, Údarás na Gaeltachta agus Foras na Gaeilge. Tuigim go bhfuil an cás fós faoi bhreithniú. Ar ndóigh, mar atá curtha in iúl agam don Teachta cheana, cé go bhfuil mo Roinn gníomhach sa phróiseas plé atá ar siúl, is ceist í seo a bhaineann go príomha leis an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta.
Níl fhéadfainn a rá gur freagra sásúil í an fhreagra sin, nuair a chuimhnímid go bhfuil beagnach sé bliana, ar a laghad, caite ó thug an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta ag an am cuairt ar an iar-Choláiste Íosagáin i mBaile Bhuirne. Bhí traidisiúin fada den léann trí Ghaeilge sa choláiste, a bhí mar choláiste ullmhúcháin le blianta fada. Nuair a iompaigh an t-iar-Aire an chéad fhód, dúirt sé gur ionad náisiúnta Gaeilge a bhí ann. Níl dul chun cinn ar bith déanta sé bliana ina dhiadh sin, áfach, seachas comhráite idir an Roinn, oifigigh agus Údarás na Gaeltachta. Ba mhaith liom ceist a chur ar an Aire. An aontaíonn sé go bhfuil géarghá le hionad den chineál seo? Tá a fhios againn uilig na deacrachtaí atá ann anois, chomh fada agus a bhaineann siad le hoideachas trí Ghaeilge a chur ar fáil. Níl na deacrachtaí ag na daltaí ach le múinteoirí a fháil leo ag a bhfuil cumas na hábhair uilig a theagasc trí Ghaeilge. Tá deacrachtaí sna Gaeltachtaí féin mar nach bhfuil múinteoirí ann ag a bhfuil an Ghaeilge ó dhúchas agus tá scoileanna ann le múinteoirí nach bhfuil an Ghaeilge mar theanga acu. Níl mé á rá nach bhfuil sé sin ceart ach tá na deacrachtaí sin ann. Tá deacrachtaí ag na Gaelscoileanna cionn is nach bhfuil siad in ann múinteoirí a fháil le cumas na Gaeilge leis na hábhair a mhúineadh trí Ghaeilge. Ag an am céanna níl muid ag déanamh mórán dul chun cinn leis an cheist seo.
Tá géarghá le hionad den chineál seo a chur ar fáil. Cén fáth nach bhféadfadh ionad a bhunú i gCúige Uladh, fo-ionad i gceantar an Aire féin san iarthar agus an tríú ceann i gColáiste Íosagáin i mBaile an Mhuirne? B'fhearr liom é sin ná an rud atá ag dul ar aghaidh — níl rud ar bith ag tarlú. Tá muid ag plé le Gaeilge ag leibhéal na hEorpa agus Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla ach níl muid ábalta seirbhís bhunúsach mar seo a chur ar fáil. Níl sé sin sásúil agus ba mhaith liom go mbeadh dul chun cinn níos mó déanta ná mar atá déanta go dtí seo.
Tá an Teachta tar éis a mhéar a chur air ar bhealach. Ní thiocfaidh dul chun cinn ar chor ar bith faoi na riachtanais atá ann. Ní thiocfainn leis an Teachta, áfach, ar chor ar bith nach bhfuil tada déanta. Tá, mar shampla, na campaí samhraidh, scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge, scéim na gcúntóirí teanga agus an méid atá caite ar an oideachas tríú leibhéil sa Ghaeilge.
Ach caidé faoin tionscnamh áirithe seo?
Tá fo-ionad ollscoile, tionscnamh ard-scileanna Gaeilge agus an rud céanna á dhéanamh ag an údarás atá tar éis airgid a infheistiú in oideachas sa nGaeilge. Mar sin, tá na cúig bliana atá imithe tharainn thar a bheith rathúil ó thaobh infheistithe ag mo Roinn agus an t-údarás i dtionscnaimh a bhaineann le cúrsaí oideachais trí Ghaeilge agus tacaíocht a thabhairt don chóras scolaíochta.
Tá an ceart ag an Teachta, áfach, go bhfuil bearnaí móra ann. Glacaim leis an dtríú rud a dúirt sé, go bhfuil gá leis na heasnaimh sin a líonadh ach nach gá go gcuirfidh gach cuidiú dóibh i mBaile Mhuirne. Luaigh an Teachta féin an t-iarthar agus an tuaisceart agus tá sé sin le plé.
Mar sin, is mór is fiú an foirgneamh a bheith ann agus bainfear úsáid as an fhoirgneamh i mBaile Mhuirne. Ach céard a chuirfear ann? Caithfimid é sin a shocrú fós. Is fearr i gcónaí breathnú ar an riachtanas agus tá na riachtanais ar fad a luaigh an Teachta ann. Aithním féin agus an tAire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta é sin. An cheist atá ann ná cén áit is fearr freastal ar na riachtanais sin. Sin an áit ar cheart dúinn roghnú. Más Baile an Mhuirne é, bíodh sin agus más rogha áiteacha, bíodh sin. Sin mar a fheicim an rud ag dul ar aghaidh agus ní aontaím ar chor ar bith nach bhfuil tada déanta ó thaobh infheistíochta i gcúrsaí oideachais.
Nuair a ceannaíodh Baile an Mhuirne an chéad uair, bhí cead an Aire ag teastáil agus scríobh mé míniú an-chuimsitheach ar an gcomhad gur chosnaigh sé thart faoi £500,000 agus ceannach straitéiseach a bhí i gceist. Creidim, agus úsáid bainte as an láthair cheana féin le haghaidh cur leis an eastát tionsclaíochta, go bhfeicfear amach anseo gur ceannach thar a bheith straitéiseach a bhí ann agus go dtiocfaidh forbairt air agus go mbainfear an-toradh go deo as an infheistíocht. Fuair muid ar luach an-mhaith é fosta.
An aontódh an tAire nuair a tharla seo i mBaile an Mhuirne go dúirt an tAire ansin go mbeadh an t-ionad faoi lán-tseoil lár na bliana dar gcionn — 2001? Is rúndiamhair é nár tharla aon rud ó sin. Tugadh geallúint sollúnta, más féidir le polaiteoir í sin a thabhairt, go mbeadh an áit ansin i 2001 ach níor tharla aon rud ó shin. Níor mhaith liom é a chur i leith an Aire é féin nó an Aire a bhí ann ach an oiread ach tá go leor daoine a déarfadh nach raibh ann seo uilig ach political stroke. An aontódh an tAire leis sin?
Ba é tús an scéil ná go ndúradh liom go raibh an áit seo ar fáil agus chreid mé agus é teorannach leis an eastát tionsclaíochta sula raibh aon chaint faoi áit oideachais a chur ann go mba cheart don údarás é a cheannach. Níl aon athrú intinne orm faoi sin.
Má tá an ceart agam, thart faoi 40 acra atá um an fhoirgneamh díreach i lár an bhaile. Tá sé teorannach leis an eastát tionsclaíochta atá ag Údarás na Gaeltachta cheana féin. Níl a fhios agam céard is fiú an áit inniu ach by dad is fiú go leor í.
Agus an cheist faoin gceannach ag dul ar aghaidh, tháinig moladh ón Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta go mbreathnófaí go fabhrach ar chuid den áit a úsáid mar ionad oideachais. Bhí mise go mór i bhfabhar. Tá an méid a dúirt an tAire bunaithe ar eolas ón Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta.
Is cosúil gur ina dhiaidh sin gur tháinig ceisteanna aníos agus gur thosaigh daoine ag cur ceisteanna agus tháinig athrú ar an scéal. Mar a thuigim é seo, agus is rud inmheánach don Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta é, tosaíodh athmhachnamh agus níl cinneadh deireanach tógtha fós. Níl aon smacht ag mo Roinnse go díreach ar na pointí seo ach glacaim leis, i measc na gceisteanna a tháinig chun cinn, tá ceisteanna a chuir an tAire féin — ar cheart go mbeadh lár-ionad amháin don tír ar fad nó ar cheart go mbeadh péire nó trí cinn? Ar cheart breathnú ar na ceisteanna níos leithne a d'ardaigh an Teachta?
Tá súil agam go n-éireoidh linn teacht go deireadh an scéil seo agus go mbreathnóimid air níos leithne ná an rud áirithe amháin a bhí i gceist an chéad uair mar tá an saol athraithe go mór idir an dá linn. Mar a dúirt an Teachta, ceann de na riachtanais is mó ná ceist sholáthar múinteoirí le togha Gaeilge. Is dúshlán iontach cúng dúinn uilig é le togha Gaeilge le dul mhúineadh i nGaelscoileanna agus scoileanna Gaeltachta, ceist i bhfad níos leithne ná mar a bhí i gceist leis an ionad sin. Ionad náisiúnta oideachais trí Ghaeilge a bhí i gceist, cineál super-teacher centre. Ní fhreagródh a leithéid an cheist phráinneach mhór eile atá ag tarraingt anuas. Thiocfainn leis an Teachta faoi sin.
40 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the state of negotiations with the Irish Farmers Association regarding access to land for walkers; if he has committed to paying farmers for access; and if so, if this represents a U-turn in his position on the issue. [42956/06]
As the Deputy is aware Comhairle na Tuaithe has completed its work on the development of a national countryside recreation strategy. The members of Comhairle na Tuaithe, with the exception of the Irish Farmers' Association, have endorsed the report.
I met the President of the IFA, Mr. Pádraig Walshe, the week before last to discuss the issue of access to land for recreational purposes. The meeting was very positive. The key issue to be addressed is payment to farmers for work carried out by them, to an agreed standard, on the upkeep and maintenance of walks on their lands. Following my meeting with Mr. Walshe I have asked that officials of my Department and representatives of the IFA would meet to progress the issue and report back to me before the new year, if possible.
Payment for access is not under discussion and therefore there is no question of a U-turn on my part. The fact is that since summer 2005, when the IFA published its document on its proposed walkways initiative there has been very little difference between my position and that of the IFA on this issue. What the IFA has sought is a payment for the maintenance of specific walks throughout the country and I am fully in agreement that there should be no cost burden on farmers from the maintenance of permissive ways open to the public at no charge.
Mr. Walshe has gone on record following our meeting stating that payment must be related to the amount of maintenance and amount of development that has to be done on a walkway.
I see progress on this issue being based on recognised walks such as waymarked ways or shorter walks which would be promoted by Fáilte Ireland. The walks would be managed by local community groups in the context of local development strategies which are to the drawn up under the rural development programme 2007-13. I have time and again made clear my view that a local community-based approach is the best way forward where issues of access to the countryside arise. Where it is not possible to reach agreement, in a particular location, alternative routes should be explored and developed so landowners' rights over access to their lands are not interfered with.
In light of the outcome of my recent meeting with the president of the IFA, I believe the IFA is now approaching this issue in a positive spirit with a view to implementing the countryside recreation strategy put forward by Comhairle na Tuaithe and already endorsed by the other farming organisations on that body.
It could be a question of terminology, but it seems that when the Minister says "access", they say "upkeep and maintenance". As has been subsequently reported in the media, the reality is that the expectation now exists for the Government to provide an annual payment towards landowners for the use of these particular walkways. Unless the Minister can publish clear criteria on how the money will be made available and for what purposes, we can only presume that this is the nature of the discussions he has been having with the farming organisations.
In a radio interview subsequent to the meeting, the IFA president talked about a cost per metre of walkway. He stated that the agreement being reached depended on the length of each walkway and such a cost was being agreed with the Department. To what extent is maintenance needed on these walkways? Can he give examples where maintenance is needed? The walkers and tourists who use such walkways are attracted to them because they are as undeveloped as possible. Unless the Minister is referring to work that needs to be done to cover health and safety regulations, the upkeep and maintenance of many of these would be too minimal to justify an ongoing payment.
Media outlets have reported that this could cost the taxpayer €15 million on an ongoing basis. Does the Minister envisage such costs? If so, why would they be paid on an ongoing basis if the upkeep and maintenance needed on these routes are minimal?
The Deputy has asked a lot of questions. Any payment will be based on the cost of materials and labour in doing the works that are necessary. We will get competent people to calculate exactly what work is needed.
I heard the interview Mr. Walshe gave on "Morning Ireland" and I obtained the transcript afterwards. I will provide a copy of it to the Deputy. Mr. Walshe was very clear that the payment was related to the work. The interviewer tried to draw him into commenting on the cost, the amount of the payment and the previous proposal put forward by the IFA. He alluded to the fact that there had been a proposal, but he reiterated clearly that his understanding was that the payment was related to the work. That being the case, I cannot put a figure on the work until it is costed.
I cannot stop members of the media writing whatever they want to write. Every Deputy in this House knows that. However, they cannot control what is said when we speak about issues related to the media. I did not issue any statement on this matter at the time of the meeting. I have done a number of interviews and I have reiterated that the basis of discussions was on the cost of doing the work. If there is no cost to maintain a stretch of 300 m because it is self-containing, then there is no cost. However, if a swampy bit of land needs continuous maintenance, such as filling it with gravel, then there is a cost. I do not see why the farmer should lose money to maintain it.
I cannot answer for the spin that is put on things in the media. The interview with Mr. Pádraig Walshe reinforces the point I have made in this House. He was clear and I am clear that this is a payment related to the actual cost of doing the work. I have not put a cost of €15 million on it and, to be honest, I do not have €15 million to spend in the manner suggested. However, it is vital that we have well maintained walkways available nationally and that they are maintained on an ongoing basis. Someone should be there to resolve any problem that arises, be it people leaving litter behind them, breaking styles or whatever. This will be done on a cost basis.
I am grateful for some aspects of the Minister's answer. It was also stated in the media that it is hoped that many of these walkways could be in greater use by the start of the 2007 tourist season. Can the Minister comment on that point? As January is just around the corner, does he accept that the criteria for whatever scheme he puts in place need to be available to the public as soon as possible? Final decisions need to be made and the House should be informed of them.
There is much more work going on behind the scenes than people realise. As I outlined when I launched the report at a meeting of Comhairle na Tuaithe at the ploughing championships, Fáilte Ireland has been working on getting agreement on a series of walks. It has also outlined the required works that need to be done in many cases. The option to use the rural social scheme is a very live one because many farmers are not particularly interested in doing it. Some of them have too much work and they would rather local farmers did it through the rural social scheme. We are still in line to achieve our objective and I hope we can do this with Fáilte Ireland in the new year.
Many of these walks do not need a great amount of work — just signage and bits and pieces here and there. Many of them are over open countryside and people often do not want the walkway to be very developed. The international experience has been that they often want the obstructions made surmountable rather than removed. They are not looking for a walkway that is a pathway. In other words, they want to walk over the mountains. I am fairly confident we can deliver on that aspect.
I also discussed with the IFA the unsatisfactory situation where people access mountains and hills through enclosed land by going over field gates and across fields. We will try to get local solutions to the problem of accessing a hill through a little passageway without going through someone's field that might have cattle or crops in it. That would ease many of the difficulties that were there in the past. If I had an open mountain and a closed field, I would not consider them as the same thing. In legal terms they are the same, but in practical terms they are very different.
