Prime Time Debate

The recent debate on countryside access on the RTE current affairs programme Prime Time shed rather more heat than light on the issue. While predictably disappointing it was still very encouraging that it took place at all. It surely reflects the fact that as an issue, countryside access is rising up the political agenda in the Republic of Ireland.

Memo to KIO: stay positive and don't allow yourselves to be painted as some appallingly radical group. As this programme showed, some landowners/farmers like to portray themselves as the victims, and there is a risk that those proposing progressive and sensible access reforms for the benefit of all, come across as urban bully boys who want nothing but to trample all over crops, damage fences and walk through farmhouse kitchens (while sacrificing their first born to boot). I'm not saying this happened here, but you get my drift...

Define what access actually means and then keep the message simple. After that hit the 3 main points:

1 Countryside access legislation does not mean the end of days and works perfectly well the world over. Rights of private landowners cannot trump wider society requirements and landowners are well compensated by the taxpayer via EU grants.

2 Countryside access legislation will fully unlock the potential of the countryside. It will bring massive economic benefits to local rural economy, something which will allow local people to get better jobs and give them an opportunity to live in the area they were brought up in. Farmers sons and daughters will be among those to benefit.

3 Countryside access will be of massive benefit to local communities, giving people access to their own  as it reduces car usage , allows rural people, including children, to walk safely between destinations, and improves health outcomes - which again leads to savings for society in terms of coping with obesity and associated illness etc.

Also, keep lots of stats and examples handy to backup the argument.