My Department administers the Walks Scheme which facilitates the development and maintenance of many of Ireland’s walking trails. The scheme involves landholders as key participants in the provision of high quality walking trails, by contracting them to undertake maintenance work on sections of National Waymarked Ways and other priority walks that traverse their lands. The landholders receive modest payments for maintenance work undertaken, in line with agreed work plans.
The scheme currently covers 39 trails, with payments made to approximately 1,900 landholders to maintain those trails.
The Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to double the number of walks included in the scheme, with a consequent increase in funding.
My officials have been looking at how best to expand the scheme and I anticipate that progress will be made by the end of the year in identifying a number of priority walks which might initially be added to the scheme. Consultation will take place with relevant landholders and other stakeholders in relation to the inclusion of any specific walks in the scheme.