Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 February 2007
75 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the role he envisages for forest parks in public ownership in achieving the objectives of Comhairle na Tuaithe’s countryside recreation strategy in County Roscommon. [7605/07]
View answer102 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will expand upon his recent comments that the State would consider buying or leasing land to facilitate increased hill walking opportunities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7731/07]
View answer113 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress made with the IFA in relation a country walkways strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7724/07]
View answer114 Mr. Callanan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has proposals for the development of a walking and cycling trail on the route of the disused Loughrea to Attymon railway line; and the discussions he has had with Iarnród Éireann on the matter. [7598/07]
View answer119 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will elaborate on the discussions his Department have been having with Iarnród Éireann regarding the use of its abandoned railway lines for recreational purposes. [7766/07]
View answer130 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will report on the disputes regarding countryside access and developments by the expert group set up to investigate the legal issues surrounding land access for recreational use. [7765/07]
View answer141 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the discussions he has had with other State agencies and semi-State bodies in relation to the use of lands in State ownership for countryside recreation; and his views on developing the disused Limerick to Tralee railway line as a walking and cycling route in this regard. [7594/07]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 75, 102, 113, 114, 119, 130 and 141 together.
Comhairle na Tuaithe presented its report on a national countryside recreation strategy to me in September 2006. The strategy defines the scope and vision for countryside recreation and sets out the broad principles under which sustainable countryside recreation can be managed into the future. It also sets out the tasks that should be undertaken to achieve this vision and recommends actions that need to be taken and by which bodies.
Following my consideration of the report I have taken a number of actions. First, I have reached agreement with Fáilte Ireland regarding the employment of up to ten walk managers under my Department's community services programme. Their role will be to promote walking tourism in areas where there are clusters of suitable, accessible walks.
Second, my Department in consultation with the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, Fáilte Ireland, Comhar Leader na hÉireann and the national way-marked ways advisory committee, are identifying a further 30 looped walks and way-marked ways for development in 2007. Fáilte Ireland has informed me that 15 of these will be under way by June 2007 and I have set aside funding of €1.5 million in 2007 for this purpose. In this context, Deputies should note that 40 looped walks have already been developed with the assistance of the rural social scheme and my Department.
Third, my Department is actively pursuing the possibility of using former railway infrastructure as recreational trails for walking and cycling with the Department of Transport and Iarnród Éireann.
In October 2006, officials from my Department met representatives of Iarnród Éireann and CIE to discuss the possibility of using disused railway infrastructure around the country for recreational development as walkways and cycle paths. They confirmed that the only lines that are abandoned and definitely available for development are Attymon to Loughrea, Tralee to Limerick, and Waterford to Dungarvan.
The next step in this process is that my officials will be meeting this week with Comhar Leader na hÉireann, which represents the Leader companies to discuss with them the proposal for the use of abandoned railway lines.
Separately, discussions are continuing with Coillte Teoranta and Bord na Móna to discuss the possibility of expanding the use of their lands for recreational purposes and I will continue to progress this matter.
To ensure that a number of legal issues are addressed as a matter of priority, I have established an expert group, comprising a senior counsel and officials from the Office of the Attorney General, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and my Department. This group met for the first time on Tuesday, 20 February and I have asked them to report back to me by the end of April. Any question of the acquisition by local groups of land to facilitate increased hill walking will be considered following the completion of the group's report.
The Deputies should note there have been meetings with the Irish Farmers Association to discuss ways of moving forward with the implementation of the strategy. However, I want to make it clear that payment for access is not under discussion. The IFA has sought 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 arising from the maintenance of permissive ways open to the public at no charge. It is hoped to progress matters further at the next meeting, which is scheduled for later this week.
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. I will be meeting with Pádraig Walshe, president of the IFA, this week and we will discuss this issue.
Finally, the Deputies should note that the draft Rural Development Programme 2007 to 2013 has been submitted to the European Commission for approval. The development of countryside recreation will be a key part of the measures to be rolled out under the new programme.
I have an interest in the forest park area of Lough Key. Arising from his answer, does the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, envisage that his Department might market the area as a suitable location for walking and other tourism related products? These lands are owned by Coillte so does the Minister envisage that organisation joining his Department to provide walkways throughout the forests?
I cannot discuss specific forests but we want to develop a programme and my Department can play a role in the provision of capital rather than marketing. We feel marketing should be conducted by Fáilte Ireland or Tourism Ireland as they are the places everyone looks, both natives and visitors, when seeking to partake in tourism activities in Ireland.
I am a great believer in the one stop shop and our idea is that we produce the product, either on Coillte land or Bord na Móna land with co-funding from the bodies in question. We are willing to provide 100% funding for products based on farmers' land. In all cases Fáilte Ireland will do the marketing.
I have a brief point to make as there are four or five questions being taken together.
There will be more than six minutes allocated to these questions.
I welcome most of what the Minister has said and have some questions that arise from his answer. Regarding bog lands and Coillte owned lands, there is a great deal of land designated as special areas of conservation and national heritage areas. These areas supposedly cannot be used for the cutting of turf but this is not being enforced yet. The bog lands and forest parks can be developed for walkways and they can also benefit the area of education. The Government could lead an initiative, bringing various Departments together, to ensure that disused bog lands do not become dumping grounds and are properly looked after with footpaths and so on. Schools could send groups for educational tours of such areas and they will benefit people living in cities and the countryside. This could be a great initiative, and it is happening in some forests, but we should make plans for bog lands that will be left. In many cases only 40 to 50 hectares are in question and they will become dumping grounds if they are not seen to.
Does the Deputy have a question?
That is my question. I am not sure what is wrong with the Acting Chairman today but I request that he give us a chance to ask some questions.
There are many questions listed for discussion.
We are not arguing on this point; we are all in agreement for a change and we have a chance to talk it through.
Regarding access to land, the last time we discussed this matter in October or November the Minister said he would consider a suggestion of mine on walking passes. This would be similar to ski passes in other countries and would allow people pay to have access to certain lands for a week. This would help collect money for a fund to compensate landowners for the cost of maintenance and insurance and would give money back to the community for the development of walkways and so on. It would also act as an incentive for communities to encourage more walkers to come, to open coffee shops, to open farmyards and so on. Did the Minister pursue this idea?
We have done a great deal of work in this regard, though I cannot say I have an answer to the Deputy's specific question. We have had discussions with the IFA, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association and the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association. I am going to the Sheep's Head Peninsula, Skibbereen, tomorrow and I intend to walk on the famous walkway there that seems to have caused more debate than any other walkway in Ireland. I will see then what the difficulties are because I am more familiar with the hills of Connemara than the hills of south Cork. It is fine to discuss such matters in an office but sometimes one gets a better perspective on the challenges people face by visiting the area.
My gut feeling is that the traditional way is best in this matter. People should be fairly free to roam the hills of the country and should not have to pay as long as no damage is done. This is the most desirable approach from the perspective of tourism. The Deputy is correct that there is a great deal of work involved and many opportunities for communities. Preliminary figures I have seen indicate that walking tourism is increasing and we are passing the figures that existed in the heyday before foot and mouth disease caused a slump.
The Deputy raised a question about bogs, and this is intriguing. There are special areas of conservation. Bogs that are small must be preserved and only used for education. It is important they are not walked on too much and that none of the flora and fauna we are trying to protect is damaged. Interestingly, cutaway bogs may have more potential than pristine bog; the top has been removed and there are many more things one could do with it. Many bogs are in the east midlands and I am not against go-karting there and other things people wish to do to enjoy themselves. We are talking about recreation, we are not saying everyone must become serious walkers for the good of their health. Many people wish to use the space.
I think this is a great step forward and I am glad the Deputy has welcomed it. We are lucky the State owns huge tracts of land with many possible uses and huge potential that has not been exploited. The reaction from Coillte and Bord na Móna has been most positive and they are engaging in the process, though it is at an early stage. We have started something that will be seen as very positive in two or three years and will give a huge added dimension to State lands.
I am impressed by the progress made on this issue by the Minister and compliment him on the work that is being done. The Minister indicated that the ten walk managers will be located where there are clusters of walkways. What are the functions of these walk managers?
The issue of access to land was mentioned and I am concerned about access to sand dunes because I can see in my town, Tramore, that random access to dunes can lead to problems with erosion and so on. Are there any specific measures to be taken in this regard? I know the Minister is to meet Coillte Teoranta and Bord na Móna but are sand dunes and coastal walkways within the remit of what is being discussed here? Does the Minister have proposals in this regard?
I was astonished to learn from the Minister that only three surviving railway lines are usable. Are there other reasonably intact lines of which sections have been sold to adjoining landowners? Is there merit in considering whether it would be in the national interest to buy back such sections, where possible, to develop the type of infrastructure we are discussing? I have other questions but I will leave it at that.
I will try to answer all of the Deputy's questions. I envisage that a walk manager will have two functions. First, he or she will negotiate possible new walks in developing the product, working from home and using a mobile telephone. The walk manager's second function will be to avoid conflict. A person seeking information about walks in an area will be given the walk manager's telephone number. In addition, if a person wants to find out where to get lodgings or a meal or how to access mountains or fields without disrupting farmers, the local walk manager will be able to help and will know what can be done and what should be avoided. He or she will be able to telephone a local farmer to ask if walkers may use his or her fields to reach a mountain. As well as being managers of specific walks, I hope they will have a liaison role which will create goodwill between walkers and landowners.
If a walker is using a specific walk and finds that flooding has made it impassable — if even 200 yards of a 50-mile path is impassable, the walk becomes pointless — he or she will know immediately who to contact. The walk manager will then contact officials of the rural social scheme to ensure the walk is reinstated. If a farmer notices a broken stile or a gate left open, he or she will know who to contact. Much of the conflict experienced in the past was due to no one being available to take control when a problem arose. Walkers became frustrated when they found that damage to walks had not been repaired, perhaps because the walk may only have been surveyed once every year. On the other hand, landowners often found an area left in an unsatisfactory state or observed walkers acting inappropriately, for example, entering a field with a bull or in which silage was being cut. The walk manager will have a role in this respect.
Many sand dunes and machairí are in special areas of conservation and are, therefore, vulnerable. In such circumstances, measures taken regarding these areas would be subject to advice from the National Parks and Wildlife Service. One would not be allowed to damage pristine special areas of conservation. In many cases investment is the solution, as was apparent in the national park in Letterfrack where a boardwalk was constructed in response to over-usage. We must start investing in this sector which we took for granted until a crisis arose and we suddenly realised we had only exploited about 10% of its potential.
There are three levels of railway line. Some are open and used by trains every day, while others are closed but not abandoned. The latter category includes the Navan to Kingscourt line, about which there has been considerable debate, and the Athlone to Mullingar and Cork to Youghal lines, all of which have been closed for many years. All three lines remain in State ownership and have not been abandoned. For technical reasons, they are currently not available. It is a pity the alignments were not maintained on railway lines which closed. Reinstatement of the lines would have been possible because it would not be a problem converting them back to their original use. It is intended to use some lines for walks on a licensed basis. The three lines under discussion are abandoned but remain in the ownership of Iarnród Éireann. They were not sold to local landowners and offer considerable potential.
I hope the plans will encourage communities in other areas with abandoned railway lines which were sold to local landowners to use part of the lines for cycling or walking. Considerable progress has been made on part of a railway line in the west which has been abandoned since the Second World War. Walkers and cyclists can use part of the line before taking another route and returning to the line thereafter. This is acceptable because walkers and cyclists, unlike trains, are able to take a right-angle turn onto another path before returning to the line on land held be people who are willing to allow walkers and cyclists use the line.
The lines in State ownership are the easy part. Perhaps sections of the Cahirciveen or west Clare railway lines could also be used for these purposes. Even making four miles of line available would be a fantastic outcome. Once communities see what is possible, they will come forward with good and novel ideas. Our experience is that many good ideas are coming out of the woodwork now that the debate has started. I thank Deputy O'Shea for his kind words.
