Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2015
481. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to outline the operation of the walks scheme administered by his Department with the assistance of the National Trails Office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7037/15]
View answer482. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way individual land owners along a marked walk approved by the National Trails Office but currently inadvertently excluded from the walks scheme can apply for inclusion in the scheme and payment for participation in same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7038/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 481 and 482 together.
There are now 39 trails covered by the Walks Scheme. However, due to budgetary constraints, it has not been possible to develop new walks under the existing Walks Scheme or bring developed trails onto the Walks Scheme since December 2010.
In 2014 annual payments to participants who maintained sections of trails that traversed their lands were in the region of €1.8m. The number of participants on the scheme currently stands at 1,896. It is intended that any additional efficiencies and savings that can be generated in the scheme will be put towards priority re-routes and improvements on the existing trails comprehended by the scheme.
I appreciate there were a number of marked walks which are approved by the National Trails Office but are not covered by the Walks Scheme. Only those trails where contracts had been signed and the Scheme was operational were in a position to progress onto the Walks Scheme up to the end of 2010.
