Farmers need to be central to discussions around the Mountain Access Scheme, which was initially rolled out in 2008, but has since lied dormant for many years, Fianna Fáil TD Éamon Ó Cuív has said.

"They have to be central to all of this, because it is their land," he told the Dáil on Thursday 15 June.

His comments come following the alleged attack on Wicklow farmer Pat Dunne in March.

It was alleged that Dunne was the victim of an assault involving a dog walker who had been asked not to bring dogs on to a walking trail on his land.

The foundation of the Mountain Access Scheme, Deputy Ó Cuív said, was based on permission being given by the landholder and mutual respect between the hillwalkers and the landholder.

In the initial phase of the scheme, two pilot areas were selected - Binn Shleibhe, Co Galway, and Carrauntoohill in Kerry.

Insurance

However, farmers in these areas have issues, he said, about whether there is insurance in place, despite talks that insurance had been put in place in 2021.

"They do not seem to have any knowledge of this insurance policy the minister of state referred to.

"The Minister of State said that through this process, a public liability insurance policy was secured by the Department for the two existing mountain access project areas - the MacGillycuddy Reeks and Binn Shleibhe in Galway.

"I was approached by farmers in Binn Shleibhe and they do not seem to have any details on this insurance policy, and it is their land," he said.

There is a need, he said, for continuous consultation and agreement on the scheme with the farmers.

Deputy Ó Cuív has requested an urgent consultation with all of the farmers in the two pilot areas as to exactly what is going on, when consent was given, on what basis agreement was reached and whether they were made aware of this insurance policy.