Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 July 2016
36. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on how the rural walks scheme can be used to attract visitors and boost tourism in rural counties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19846/16]
View answerThe permissive access model currently used as part of the implementation of the National Countryside Recreation Strategy for the development of greenways and walkways in Ireland has led to the successful delivery of over 880 walking, cycling, and equestrian trails, which are all listed on the Irish Trails Register maintained by the National Trails Office of Sport Ireland.
Figures produced by Fáilte Ireland demonstrate that, in 2014, close to 1.2 million overseas visitors coming to Ireland engaged in hiking/walking. This is an increase of 451,000 visitors on the 2013 figures. The total spent in the Irish economy by those visitors in 2014 was in the region of €915 million, an increase of some €265 million on the 2013 expenditure. These figures do not include visitors or related spend in the economy by domestic visitors engaging in hiking or walking.
These statistics demonstrate that hiking and walking on all trails, not just those covered by the Walks Scheme, are contributing to the Irish economy in attracting overseas visitors. The statistics also show how important the Walks Scheme is as its aim is to maintain and develop all of its walks to ensure a positive visitor experience for those using the walks, citizens and visitors alike.
The Walks Scheme is a maintenance-based payment scheme for landholders who maintain sections of trails that traverse their lands. The scheme is administered by 16 Local Development Companies on behalf my Department. There are currently 39 National Way Marked Ways and other Priority Loops covered by the scheme.
There is a commitment in A Programme for a Partnership Government to expand the Walks Scheme and I will be engaging with my colleagues in Government and with the Oireachtas to seek to advance this commitment in the context of the forthcoming estimates and budgetary processes. I am convinced that such an expansion would boost the number of high quality walks available to citizens and visitors alike, thereby increasing the attractiveness of the walking experiences available throughout Ireland.
