Sir, – We in Keep Ireland Open were pleased to read the Government's recommendationthat adults need 30 minutes of activity five days a week (January 14th).
For older people, in particular, walking is the preferred form of exercise. To encourage people to take regular exercise, walking should also be a pleasant experience. Off-road looped walks through the countryside are ideal. Our network of looped walks is pitifully small compared to those available in Britain and other European countries due to the opposition of the farming organisations to walks going through private land, even areas of rough grazing.
The result is that walkers may have to make do with tarmac or boring state forests, mainly sitka spruce. The fault for this lamentable state of affairs lies solely with successive governments that have failed to confront these organisations and legislate for the common good. It is ironic that in 2016, as we celebrate the centenary of our first step towards independence, as far as the provision of reasonable access to our countryside, we would be better off to have remained within the UK! – Yours, etc,
ROGER GARLAND,
Chairman,
Keep Ireland Open,
Dublin 14.