Madam, - As a tourism practitioner across the water I have followed the ongoing debate (over several years) between farmers and hill-walkers with a degree of professional interest.
It seems to me, as an outside observer peering in, that rather than both sides edging towards some form of consensus, the opposite is now taking place as polarised and deeply entrenched views appear in these these columns.
Whilst this state of affairs is allowed to continue it is the rural economy, local communities and those involved with countryside tourism who are the real losers. There are lessons to be learned elsewhere in Europe. Uninterrupted access to the countryside underpins rural tourism development.
Access would stimulate people to get out of their cars, get walking and experience the wonderful natural environment that Ireland provides.This in turn would allow people living in the countryside to respond and for innovation and jobs to flourish.
In time, new rural tourism products and services would be created, attracting more visitors. This in turn would leads to increasing "dwell time" and many benefits for the rural visitor economy.
Landowners and farmers should be leading the way - trying to attract visitors to the Irish countryside by developing ways to improve rural visitors' experience. Devising means to extract euro from the many potential walking tourists' pockets must be a far more productive approach than merely plastering the countryside with "Keep Out" notices.
Ultimately, it is the Government that will have to legislate for the right to roam, but instead of landowners and farmers seeing this as the final stand-off, perhaps those who feel they have most to lose should consider the net benefits of developing their land as a tourism resource, thereby creating a vibrant rural economy where visitors wish to return time and again. - Yours, etc,
MARTYN PRING, Langton Matravers, Dorset, England.