[the windsockers]

Hostile landowners are scaring off hill walkers from coming to Ireland, the Dáil heard today.

Opposition Sports spokesman Jimmy Deenihan said the number of hill walkers arriving here had halved in the past five years.

“There is a kind of a hostile reception for walkers when they come into certain areas,” he said.

He called on Minister for Sport John O’Donoghue to introduce measures to attract more recreational tourism to Ireland.

Mr O’Donoghue said the Comhairle na Tuatha agency had made good progress in promoting new and existing walking routes around the country.

He added: “It is true that the number of hill walkers coming into the country has reduced as a result of a decision by a minority of landowners to close off their lands to hill walkers.

“However it should be pointed out that there are vast expanses of the countryside where hill walkers are very welcome and landowners are in no way inhibiting them.”