Farmers should now yield right of way

IT’S a pity so much emphasis has been concentrated traditionally on the performance of elite sportsmen and women and so little on ‘sport for all’.

Walking is a leisure activity that can be enjoyed by people of every age. A well-designed, convenient path network can be a prime weapon against obesity and has benefits for tourism, road safety (by keeping walkers off busy roads) and even for commuting.

Less than 100km from Dublin there is an area with a footpath network soextensive that many walkers can reach it directly from home. It is complete with stiles, gates, steps on steep sections, footbridges and suitable maps.

It is enjoyed by many casual walkers — and their dogs. Landowners are paid nothing for allowing access and seem happy enough about it. This area is called Wales, and it is far from unique. The same conditions apply all over Britain and in many other countries in Europe.

Nothing like it exists in Ireland and we are all the poorer for its absence. The relevant minister has spent more than four years trying to cajole farming organisations voluntarily to grant access to the countryside with predictable results: not an inch without lots of cash.

The time has come gently to remind them where their income comes from — the taxpayers of Europe and increasingly, Ireland — and to force them to act with some regard for the common good.

Roger Garland

Chairman

Keep Ireland Open

Butterfield Drive

Dublin 14