17 FEBRUARY 2017

ICSA rural development chairman Seamus Sherlock has welcomed the decision of the High Court to overturn the award of damages to a walker on the Wicklow Way. “At last we are seeing common sense prevail. Farmers would be generally willing to allow walkers on their land but the niggling concern about possible compo claims is a real difficulty. The original award of a substantial amount of damages was not helpful so we are pleased with today’s outcome. ”

Mr Sherlock praised the National Parks and Wildlife Service for doing us all a favour in appealing the award. “We need to build relations between landowners and walkers and the original award would have been very detrimental to this goal. Ireland is a beautiful country and farmers appreciate that it should be enjoyed and experienced by as many as possible but people must take responsibility for their own actions while out using our countryside.”

“Land owners cannot be held accountable for people’s misfortunes while out walking. Farmers are under more than enough stress already from working in a very stressful environment without the added pressure of looking after walkers who enter their property.”

ENDS