The investment, announced in recent days, is part of a strategic partnership between the Department of Rural and Community Development and Coillte.

Under the walks scheme, operated by the Department of Rural and Community Development in conjunction with local development companies, funding is provided to farmers and other landholders to maintain the walking trails that go through their holdings.

"We’ve learned during Covid the importance of the outdoor spaces. We’ve learned what they have to bring yet we get only €16,500 for the whole of Cork city – the second city in the country,” one city councillor said.