Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 April 2022
990. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which various recreational walk schemes throughout the country continue to be expanded by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18365/22]
View answerThe Walks Scheme, which is funded by my Department, contracts landholders to undertake maintenance work on National Waymarked Ways and other priority trails that traverse their lands. The landholders receive modest payments for maintenance work undertaken in line with agreed work plans.
Last September, I announced the 'approval in principle' of 31 new trails to join the Walks Scheme. This fulfills the commitment in the Programme for Government and Our Rural Future to double the number of trails on the Scheme to 80 trails. These trails are being formally brought onto the scheme by Local Development Companies who deliver the Walks Scheme locally and who are developing work plans for each of the individual landholders involved. A full list of the trails are available on my Departments website at www.gov.ie/drcd.
Once the new trails are fully operational under the Scheme, I will examine the potential for the further expansion of the Scheme. An expression of interest process will be opened for new trails in advance of any further expansion of the scheme.
