More than 2,000 landowners helping to maintain walking trails
The Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail is part of the Walks Scheme.
Farmers around the country are helping to maintain walking trails through their land, according to the Department of Rural and Community Development annual report.
It revealed that 2,130 landholders were involved last year in the provision of 47 high-quality walking trails for public use as part of the Walks Scheme.
The scheme provides funding to farmers and landowners to undertake maintenance work on trails through their land.
It is managed at a local level through 16 Local Development Companies, with ongoing work to bring a further two trails to the scheme. The total cost in respect of the scheme was €3.6 million.
A total of 31 new trails were approved under the scheme in 2021, bringing the overall number to 80 with eight new Rural Recreation Officers (RRO) being approved to facilitate this expansion, adding to the 13 posts already in place.
The report, launched last week by Minister Heather Humphreys, stated that these posts are designed to further enhance the outdoor recreation offering in rural Ireland.
A consultative group has been established to advise on the recommendations in a report of an external review which examined the delivery and strategic development of the scheme.
Minister Humphreys, replying to Deputy Holly Cairns (Soc/Dems) in the Dáil last October, said it was anticipated there will be new RROs facilitating the delivery of trails in Kerry, Louth, Waterford, Limerick, Cavan and surrounding areas, and the Islands.
Funding for an additional RRO post is also being provided to the local Development Company in West Cork given a large number of existing participants on the scheme there and for a new RRO post for the remainder of Co Cork.
