Madam, - As a long-time hill walker I endorse every word that John Norbury (December 20th) writes. However, many of his reasons for the decline of walking tourism - inappropriate housing, poor public transport, etc - have wider implications than just for walkers. Access to the countryside should be a primary concern for all.
Almost two years ago the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív set up Comhairle na Tuaithe to deal with access problems. Before it was even up and running, however, he fatally undermined it by declaring that he would not consider legislation to facilitate access, thus forgoing the one option that might have produced results (and incidentally the option adopted by all our neighbours). For these two years, therefore, C na T has spent its time footling.
To make matters worse for walkers, the Minister has had the enthusiastic support of the Mountaineering Council of Ireland - which, instead of speaking up for walkers, has put its weight behind a "partnership" with farming interests: a partnership of the ruthless and the toothless.
It is not surprising that walkers are beginning to wonder if they really should be party to this humiliating "partnership". Indeed, the Irish Ramblers Club, one of the largest walking clubs in the country, has recently disaffiliated from the MCI, mainly over its craven policy on access. Now is the time for other clubs and individual walkers to wake up to what is being done in their name. - Yours, etc,
DAVID HERMAN,
Meadow Grove,
Dublin 16.