Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 September 2022
339. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she hopes to continue to support recreational walk schemes throughout the country and in County Kildare over the next twelve months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45376/22]
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. In addition, my Department’s Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development and enhancement of amenities such as walking trails.
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.
The new trails added to the Scheme were selected following a call for expressions of interest to join the scheme. I understand that no expression of interest was received in respect of trails in County Kildare.
Trails that are eligible for inclusion in the Walks Scheme are those that are registered on Sport Ireland’s trail register. All trails for Co. Kildare currently registered with Sport Ireland are managed by Coillte or Waterways Ireland, and are therefore not eligible under the Walks Scheme as it is aimed at private landholders.
There may be other routes in Co. Kildare, which run through private lands that are not included on Sport Ireland’s trail register. In order to be considered under the Walks Scheme, the Community Trail Management Organisation or Local Development Company should engage with Sport Ireland Outdoors to register a trail. Further information can be found on the Sport Ireland website.
Once the 31 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.
