'We have a duty to the world' - McAllister

He was speaking at a meeting of Moyle Council where it was agreed legal advice should be sought regarding the terms used as part of an ‘footpath abandonment order’.

Cllr McAllister said it was a “very important” issue and said that the Council was not in the business of abandoning rights of way.

He added: “My concern is if it is shut the public will no longer have the right to thread the stones. It is not just a Moyle issue but a world wide duty we have.”

He said he had been approached by locals and people “from all over the world” on the issue, adding: “We are custodians of the stones”.

Moyle Chief Executive Richard Lewis said his understanding is that the path will be abandoned but it would be moved and it always was the intention that there will be a public right of way down to the Causeway stones.

Cllr Paudie McShane said the decision on the path was taken to speed up the Causeway Visitors Centre scheme and it was a case of re-alignment of the public right of way.

He added he had concerns that “some people may be trying to hamper the development” of the Giant’s Causeway.