Sir, Please permit me to add my voice to those of David Hermann and Mike Keyes on the subject of the Occupier's Liability Act, and the ICMSA response to it with intimidatory notices.
Agri-tourism has boomed in recent years, and many farmhouses now offer reasonably priced accommodation for visitors. Undoubtedly, income from this source is of considerable benefit to the farming community in general and, together with the EC cheques, ensures the viability of many farms, especially in poorer parts of the country which would include mountain regions. Many farmers involved in this agritourism are, no doubt, members of the ICMSA.
Is the farming community now in danger of killing the goose that laid the golden egg of agri-tourism, by its apparently restrictive attitude to recreational users and its response to the Occupiers' Liability Act provisions? Many of the foreign visitors who stay in farmhouse B&B accommodation are almost by definition, "out door types" who come to Ireland to enjoy its countryside, its mountains, lakes, rivers and valleys. I believe there is huge potential to develop agri-tourism throughout Europe but not if visitors are made to feel unwelcome by a plethora of high visibility signs which effectively say "Keep Out."
In my opinion, there should now be a detailed appraisal of what is needed to exploit the full tourism potential of our countryside. Our hill and mountain regions are now being smothered by fences and forestry, and destroyed by sheep overgrazing.
Let our agri-tourism interests visit, as I have on many occasions, the Tyrol region of Austria, the Dolomites of Northern Italy, the French and Swiss Alps, the French and Spanish Pyrennees. There they will see the accord which exists between farmers and landowners, local tourism interests and the visitor, to the very obvious benefit of all concerned.
They will not find "Keep Out" signs and restrictive barbed wire fencing. Instead they will find each village surrounded by a network of walking paths which are well sign posted and clearly shown on the local version of the Ordnance Survey map. These paths cross meadows, meander along rivers, provide access to lakes, climb to the high pastures and mountaintops.
Walkers are most welcome, and farmers working their lands give friendly greetings as you walk the paths through their fields. The paths are provided with stiles and kissing gates and are usually marked by simple red/white painted indicators on gateposts, trees, rocks, sides of farm buildings and so on. Walking is big business for local communities.
Is there a hope that Irish farmers and their families will think this thing through, and ignore the overcautious advice which their organisations may be receiving, from their legal advisers? Yours, etc., Northland Drive, Glasnevin, Dublin 11.