Two weeks ago hundreds of people peacefully protested outside Dáil Éireann against CPOs being used to force greenways and walkways through the middle of their farms and property. They included people from Galway, Kinsale and Cooley in County Louth. The Oireachtas transport committee meeting heard evidence from TII, which admitted it was not aware CPOs were being forced on landowners to take their land from them for greenways or walkways for recreational use. At this meeting TII promised a review will take place on the roll-out of greenways for the thousands in Ireland affected. For those affected throughout the country, living in fear that lands would be taken from them, this was some relief. Fast forward a week later, and much to their horror more than 500 landowners on the Cooley Peninsula in County Louth received the dreaded letter through the letterbox stating the greenway was railroading through their ground. Is Ireland losing its democratic status as TII and the local authorities give themselves ever-increasing powers over the land and property rights of private citizens? Will the Tánaiste communicate with TII and local authorities, especially regarding Cooley in County Louth, on stalling progress on walkways where there is no agreement until the review TII is commissioning is completed and CPOs are taken off the table?

I am sympathetic to some of the points the Deputy makes. I have had discussions with colleagues on this also. CPO is a very important tool but it should be used in very specific instances. I am not certain I am comfortable with its use in relation to greenways. The State should not overcomplicate the situation in relation to greenways. They are good things, and they are things that communities generally want, but there does need to be a bit of common sense in terms of the routes. There has been a degree of complexity, perhaps, injected into it. Greenways are great and they have transformed many parts of our country but we do not want to see them become in any way divisive. I will seek an update from the Minister on where the TII's review of the use of CPO is at.