Work is proceeding quickly to agree a Countryside Recreation Strategy which includes a countryside code, the National Forum on Rural Development in Athlone was told yesterday.
In a report to the forum, Mr Michael Ó Corcora said that Comhairle na Tuaithe, which was set up by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Ó Cuív, to resolve difficulties over access by users of the countryside to lands, was making progress.
Already the body, which includes representation from farming and rural organisations, tourism marketing bodies, statutory bodies, sporting groups and Leader groups, had a number of achievements to its credit.
It had secured the acknowledgment of the National Waymarked Ways Advisory Committee that all maps of walking routes published in the future would not include lands where farmers or landowners have withdrawn their permission for the use of their lands.
It had also established three working groups to focus on the issues of access to the countryside, development of a countryside recreation strategy and the development of a countryside code.
At the conference, Mr Ó Cuív said that while tourism numbers were growing on a national basis the number of tourists coming to rural areas was falling and that it was important to stop this decline.
"It is important that we not only resolve difficulties but we look at the positive possibilities for rural communities from walking tourism, climbing and other sports which involve the use of the countryside," the Minister said.
"There can be common benefits to both the rural community and hill walkers out of agreed development.
"We are losing out if we do not develop this sector, which is one of the fastest growing sectors in tourism," he said.
"We must work together to find a resolution to the problems because if we don't everyone will lose out.
"We must work to draw up positive plans on a partnership basis to exploit this resource in a sustainable way," he said.
The Minister also said that as part of the current overhaul of the Rural Development Fund he would be looking at ways of providing money for the development of more walking routes.