Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 March 2006
72 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress that has been made to date in regard to the implementation of the future vision and policy agenda contained in Ensure the Future — A Strategy for Rural Development in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10811/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe strategic goal of my Department in rural development is to promote and maintain living and working populations in rural areas by helping to foster sustainable and culturally vibrant communities. The White Paper on Rural Development defines Government policy in this regard and provides a context for realising these goals.
In view of the time that has elapsed since the publication of the White Paper, Brendan Kearney and Associates were engaged in June 2005 to prepare a background report on changes in factors affecting rural development since the publication of the White Paper on Rural Development 1999. A copy of this report has been forwarded to the Deputy for his information.
At present, my Department together with the Department of Agriculture and Food are jointly engaged in the preparation of a national strategy for rural development for 2007-13 as required by the new European Council regulation on rural development. A detailed national programme will be prepared following completion of the national strategy. This will be submitted to the European Commission with a view to its agreement by the end of 2006 to enable commencement of the new programme in January 2007. The report prepared by Brendan Kearney and Associates will be used in this context.
73 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on his recent speech to the annual general meeting of the Irish Farmhouse Holidays organisation. [10787/06]
Amharc ar fhreagra78 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he is proposing to introduce a system whereby farmers are compensated for allowing hill walkers to cross their land; if he has received representations from farmers or farming organisations on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10796/06]
Amharc ar fhreagra91 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will expand on recent comments he made regarding access to land for rural walkers; the way in which he proposes to deal with the issue of farmers refusing access to their land to hill walkers; if he proposes to issue guidelines on the issue of hill walking; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10795/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 73, 78 and 91 together.
I refer the Deputies to my answer to Question No. 116 on 8 February 2006 where I made my views on issues of access to the countryside clear. On that occasion and in my speech to the Irish Farmhouse Holidays Association I stated that a local community based approach is the way forward where issues of access to the countryside arise. Where it is not possible to reach agreement, in a particular location, alternative routes should be explored and developed so that landowners' rights over access to their lands are not interfered with. In addition, I must again restate my view that any proposal for direct Exchequer payment for access would not be acceptable.
The issue of access to land and the development of walkways is one that can only be solved by the active participation and support not just of farmers and recreational users of the countryside but also the wider rural community, who stand to benefit a great deal from the development of activity based rural tourism, including walking. For many years in rural Ireland, communities have adapted and used their heritage, music and archaeology to promote their areas to tourists. I firmly believe, however, that the area of activity based holidays is important but has so far been left relatively underdeveloped in rural Ireland.
The issue of access to land is fundamental to this question and it was in this context that, in February 2004, I established Comhairle na Tuaithe to address the three priority issues of access to the countryside, developing a countryside code and developing a countryside recreation strategy. Comhairle na Tuaithe comprises representatives of the farming organisations, recreational users of the countryside and State bodies with an interest in the countryside. It has approached its work in a spirit of co-operation and through working groups, which progress components of these aims.
Comhairle na Tuaithe has identified and reviewed a set of access parameters in the countryside, which it believes will serve as a basis for conflict prevention and integrate a variety of needs and responsibilities. It has also agreed the key features necessary for countryside code development, with a focus on the potential application of the internationally recognised Leave No Trace initiative. Details of the access parameters and the countryside code are available in a booklet, which I launched in September of last year and on my Department's website at www.pobal.ie.
Comhairle na Tuaithe is currently working on the development of a national countryside recreation strategy. The first phase in the development of the strategy involved consultation with interested parties. In this regard, it invited submissions from interested individuals and groups. The three main farming organisations, that is, the IFA, the ICMSA and the ICSA, made submissions to Comhairle na Tuaithe following the call and each of the organisations listed has a representative on Comhairle na Tuaithe and is actively involved in the development of the strategy. I have also met with representatives of the farming organisations to discuss their views on the matter of access to the countryside in particular and countryside recreation in general.
I look forward to receiving the draft strategy from Comhairle na Tuaithe following its consideration of the issues arising. I will, of course, carefully consider any proposals which Comhairle na Tuaithe makes regarding countryside recreation which will help inform policy decision in the wider rural development domain.
