Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 May 2016
284. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if compensation is available to persons (details supplied) in County Kerry who allow hill walkers to use trails on their lands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8906/16]
View answerMy Department administers a Walks Scheme, which provides modest payments to landowners to maintain sections of walking trails that traverse their lands. It does not affect their property rights and is not a payment for access purposes.
Due to budgetary constraints it has not been possible to expand the existing Walks Scheme in recent years to include additional walks such as the one referred to in the details supplied. However, there continue to be 39 trails covered by my Department’s Walks Scheme and in 2015 payments to participants exceeded €1.8m. The number of participants currently on the Scheme stands at approximately 1,900.
