Vol. 575 No. 5
17 Mr. O'Dowd asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position of his Department on the national campaign to achieve greater access to the countryside; and the initiatives he intends to take to further this objective. [28628/03]
19 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress made to date by the consultation group established to consider the issue of access to waymarked ways; when he expects that the report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28557/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 19 together.
I have made clear my view that a local community-based approach is the way forward where issues of access to the countryside arise. I established the consultation group on access to waymarked ways in April 2003 to consider the issues that had arisen in relation to access to some waymarked ways following the cessation of payments to landowners under the REP scheme.
The consultation group includes representatives from the farming organisations, tourism marketing bodies and recreational users of the countryside and has met on three occasions to consider the issues involved. It continues to examine all aspects of the issue, including options such as the development of sustainable walking routes to the mutual benefit of landowners-farmers and recreational users of the countryside. Progress reports on the work of the consultation group have been made to each meeting of the rural agri-tourism advisory group.
The consultation group is currently considering aspects relating to the establishment of a countryside recreation forum or network. As I indicated in my reply to Question No. 150 on 21 October, I understand that it is planned that the consultation group will report back to the rural-agri-tourism advisory group in January. I will consider, further, what actions should be taken, including the question of publication of any report, when the group's consideration of this question has been completed.
