Walk proposals sent to Comhairle na Tuaithe

PROPOSALS for development and maintenance of waymarked ways and looped walks were recently circulated to members of Comhairle na Tuaithe, said Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Éamon Ó Cuív in Dail last week.

He said, “I am fully in agreement that there should be no cost burden on farmers for the maintenance of permissive ways open to the public at no charge.”

But he made it clear no national scheme of support for access was envisaged.

“I am stating that there will be no scheme under which people will be paid a certain amount of money for access. I ruled out such a development from the beginning.”

Responding to Dail questions by Dan Boyle, TD, Green Party, Minister Ó Cuív didn’t completely rule out charging for entry to lands. He said, “One is charged for entry to Dublin Zoo, which is on land that is owned by somebody. One of the fundamental mistakes the Deputy could make would be to in some way infer that land that does not happen to be blessed by God with great fertility is any less owned by a farmer than that which is so blessed.”