Preasráiteas: Scéim phíolótach íocaíochta nua d’úinéirí talún sna Cruacha Dubha fógartha ag an Aire Calleary
Media Release
Thursday, 5 February 2026
Minister Calleary announces new pilot payment scheme for landowners in the MacGillycuddy Reeks
- New three-year pilot Upland Recreation Scheme to support outdoor recreation and rural tourism in the MacGillycuddy Reeks
- Over €100,000 each year to fund over 50 landowners in managing recreational access to the Reeks
- Support also announced for the “Helping the Hills” network to improve capacity in managing upland paths
Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, has today (Thursday, 5 February 2026) announced funding for two initiatives that will support and protect upland areas. These are a new three-year pilot Upland Recreation Scheme in the MacGillycuddy Reeks, which is designated as a “Mountain Access Project”, and a two-year project to further the work of the “Helping the Hills” network.
The pilot Upland Recreation Scheme is similar to the Walks Scheme and is a first in Ireland. It will see payments being made to farmers and other private landowners in the MacGillycuddy Reeks who undertake an agreed work programme. These individual work programmes feed into an overall plan for the Reeks that includes monitoring and maintaining the upland paths and access areas. The scheme also rewards farmers for engaging directly with members of the public and providing them with assistance and guidance on how to access the mountain responsibly.
The implementation of the pilot will be overseen by the MacGillycuddy Reeks Mountain Access Forum and will be administered by South Kerry Development Partnership CLG, a local development company which has been the lead partner in the MacGillycuddy Reeks Mountain Access Forum since its establishment.
Making the announcement today, Minister Calleary stated:
“My Department is committed to supporting the development and maintenance of recreational infrastructure in line with the aims of ‘Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors,’ Irelands national outdoor recreation strategy.
“In excess of 64,000 walkers access the MacGillycuddy Reeks each year and the area is an important driver of the local tourism economy. This pilot scheme is a crucial step in creating a more sustainable future for visitor access to the MacGillycuddy Reeks.
“We are fortunate in Ireland to have areas of outstanding natural beauty that are accessible to so many. However, we often forget the significant impact that walkers can have on these sensitive areas which are typically private land that is actively farmed. I would like to again thank the landowners for providing this access and dealing with the challenges it brings for them, and also commend them for participating in this new pilot scheme.
“I would also like to thank South Kerry Development Partnership and the MacGillycuddy Reeks Mountain Access Forum for engaging with the Department to develop this scheme. I am committed to working with them to make this new venture a success and to address any challenges that emerge so that this and similar projects can become a permanent feature in many of our upland areas.”
Welcoming today’s announcement the Chairperson of the McGillycuddy Reeks Stakeholders Forum, Mr Stewart Stephens said:
“The Upland Recreation Scheme is a major development in sustainable access to mountain areas, much of which are privately owned. It will benefit landowners, recreational users and the fragile upland environment. It recognises the important role of landowners in land management and the visitor experience. A lot of work has gone into the scheme, and we are delighted it is being piloted in the MacGillycuddy Reeks.”
The Minister also announced funding to support the ‘Helping the Hill’s’ programme, an initiative that provides training in upland path development, helping to build the capacity of organisations to address path erosion in upland areas, capture and share learning from recent projects, and to consolidate the Helping the Hills Network.
Minister Calleary added:
“I am also happy to provide €90,000 in funding for the first year of a two-year programme to support the “Helping the Hills” network. Led by Mountaineering Ireland, the programme will build the capacity of organisations to address path erosion in upland areas and will include training in upland path development.”
Preasráiteas
Déardaoin, 5 Feabhra 2026
Scéim phíolótach íocaíochta nua d’úinéirí talún sna Cruacha Dubha fógartha ag an Aire Calleary
- Scéim Fóillíochta Sléibhe phíolótach nua trí-bliana chun tacú le fóillíocht lasmuigh agus le turasóireacht tuaithe sna Cruacha Dubha
- Os cionn €100,000 gach bliain chun breis is 50 úinéir talún a mhaoiniú le rochtain fóillíochta ar na Cruacha a bhainistiú
- Fógra eile faoi thacaíocht do líonra “Helping the Hills” chun feabhas a chur ar an inniúlacht maidir le conairí sléibhe a bhainistiú
D’fhógair an tAire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta, Dara Calleary TD, inniu (Déardaoin, 5 Feabhra 2026) go maoineofar dhá thionscnamh lena dtacófar agus cosnófar ceantair shléibhe. Áirítear ar an dá thionscnamh seo an Scéim Fóillíochta Sléibhe phíolótach nua trí-bliana sna Cruacha Dubha, atá ainmnithe mar “Thionscadal um Rochtain Sléibhe”, agus tionscadal dhá-bhliain chun borradh a chur faoi obair líonra “Helping the Hills”.
Tá an Scéim Fóillíochta Sléibhe phíolótach cosúil le Scéim na Siúlóidí, agus is í an chéad scéim dá leithéid in Éirinn. Déanfar íocaíochtaí faoin scéim le feirmeoirí agus úinéirí talún príobháideacha sna Cruacha Dubha a théann i mbun clár oibre comhaontaithe. Beidh na cláir oibre aonair seo mar chuid de phlean foriomlán do na Cruacha lena n-áireofar monatóireacht agus cothabháil ar na conairí agus limistéir rochtana sléibhe. Tabharfar cúiteamh d’fheirmeoirí faoin scéim freisin as teagmháil dhíreach a dhéanamh le daoine den phobal agus as cúnamh agus treoir a thabhairt dóibh maidir le conas rochtain fhreagrach a fháil ar an tsliabh.
Déanfaidh Fóram Rochtana Sléibhe na gCruach Dubh maoirseacht ar chur i bhfeidhm na scéime píolótaí, agus beidh sí á riar ag Comhpháirtíocht Forbartha Chiarraí Theas CTR, ar cuideachta forbartha áitiúla í atá mar an phríomh-chomhpháirtí i bhFóram Rochtana Sléibhe na gCruach Dubh óna bhunú i leith.
Agus an fógra á dhéanamh aige inniu, dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Tá mo Roinn tiomanta do thacaíocht a thabhairt i gcomhair forbairt agus cothabháil bonneagair fóillíochta de réir aidhmeanna ‘Téigh Amach Faoin Aer,’ straitéis náisiúnta na hÉireann um fhóillíocht faoin aer.
“Téann breis is 64,000 siúlóir sna Cruacha Dubha gach bliain agus cuireann an ceantar go mór leis an ngeilleagar turasóireachta áitiúil. Céim ríthábhachtach í an scéim phíolótach seo chun todhchaí níos inbhuanaithe a chruthú do rochtain cuairteoirí ar na Cruacha Dubha.
“Tá an t-ádh linn in Éirinn go bhfuil ceantair sáráilleachta againn ar a bhfuil rochtain ag an iliomad daoine. Mar sin féin, is minic a dhéanann muid dearmad ar thionchar suntasach na siúlóirí ar na ceantair íogaire seo, atá lonnaithe de ghnáth ar thalamh príobháideach ar a ndéantar feirmeoireacht ghníomhach. Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil arís leis na húinéirí talún as an rochtain seo a chur ar fáil agus as déileáil leis na dúshláin a bhaineann léi dóibhsean, agus ba mhaith liom iad a mholadh freisin as páirt a ghlacadh sa scéim phíolótach nua seo.
“Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil freisin le Comhpháirtíocht Forbartha Chiarraí Theas agus le Fóram Rochtana Sléibhe na gCruach Dubh as a n-obair leis an Roinn chun an scéim seo a fhorbairt. Táim tiomanta chun dul i gcomhar leo chun go mbeidh rath ar an bhfiontar nua seo agus chun dul i ngleic le haon dúshlán a eascraíonn as seo, le gur féidir leis an tionscadal seo agus tionscadail dá leithéid a bheith mar bhuanghné in a lán dár gceantair shléibhe amach anseo.”
Agus fáilte á cur aige roimh fhógra an lae inniu, dúirt Cathaoirleach Fhóram Gheallsealbhóirí na gCruach Dubh, Stewart Stephens:
“Is dul chun cinn mór í an Scéim Fóillíochta Sléibhe ó thaobh rochtain inbhuanaithe ar cheantair shléibhe, a bhfuil cuid mhór dóibh faoi úinéireacht phríobháideach. Déanfaidh an scéim leas d’úinéirí talún, don lucht fóillíochta agus don timpeallacht sléibhe leochaileach. Aithnítear inti ról tábhachtach na n-úinéirí talún sa bhainistíocht talún agus in eispéireas na gcuairteoirí. Is mór an obair a rinneadh don scéim, agus is cúis áthais go bhfuil triail phíolótach á baint aisti sna Cruacha Dubha.”
D’fhógair an tAire freisin go dtabharfar maoiniú chun tacú le clár ‘Helping the Hills’, ar tionscnamh é faoina gcuirtear oiliúint ar fáil i bhforbairt conairí sléibhe, rud atá ina chuidiú chun cur le hinniúlacht eagraíochtaí le dul i ngleic le creimeadh conairí i gceantair shléibhe, le ceachtanna ó thionscadail a rinneadh le déanaí a fháil agus a roinnt, agus chun Líonra Helping the Hills a neartú.
Bhí an méid seo le rá freisin ag an Aire Calleary:
“Táim sásta freisin chun maoiniú €90,000 a chur ar fáil don chéad bhliain de chlár dhá-bhliain chun tacú le líonra ‘Helping the Hills’. Faoi stiúir Shléibhteoireacht Éireann, cuirfidh an clár le hinniúlacht eagraíochtaí chun dul i ngleic le creimeadh conairí i gceantair shléibhe agus beidh oiliúint i bhforbairt conairí sléibhe mar chuid de.”