Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 May 2018
44. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the rural walks scheme will be reopened; the progress that has been made towards reopening the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19063/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy 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 Way Marked Ways and other priority walks that traverse their lands. Participating 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 Partnership Government and the Action Plan for Rural Development include a commitment to increase the number of trails covered by the Walks Scheme and my officials are working towards this objective. I intend to initiate a comprehensive review of the scheme’s operation this year in order to determine how best to expand the scheme and maximise the impact of the resources available to me. I anticipate that this review will be completed before the end of the year and that it will help identify priority walks that can be included in the expansion of the scheme.
