By Mike McKimm BBC Northern Ireland environment correspondent

Despite its natural settings and relatively unspoilt countryside, Northern Ireland has no national parks.

It will soon be the only part of the UK and Ireland without such a facility and a growing number of people in the province think tourism and conservation is suffering as a result.

Over the last two decades, while England and Wales were basking in the success of its many national parks, such as Snowdonia or the Lake District, the province took the unusual route of just identifying and naming Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

While these offered some protection to the environment, they were of little value in attracting tourism and provided minimal focus for the careful development of large areas of the countryside.

NI currently has Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

A lack of resources and a seeming loss of interest brought the designation of the areas to a halt, and as a result, the province has neither a wide selection of AONBs nor any national parks.

Some concerned groups have now started campaigning to have at least one park designated, probably the area enclosing the Mourne Mountains.

Ironically the entire mechanism to do this is already operational.

A number of years ago a group called the Mourne Heritage Trust was set up by the government to carry out some development of facilities in this south eastern corner of Northern Ireland.

It already has the financial, management and planning structure in place.

Confidential report

The local MP for the area, Eddie McGrady, has called on the Environment Minister, Dermot Nesbitt, to put the required legal instruments in place and there could be a national park tomorrow.

But it is not that easy.

The minister would have to get agreement from his committee in the assembly and also ensure the funds are there to set up and run such a park.

In a confidential government report the BBC has seen, the Environment Heritage Service, which is part of the Department of Environment, had ruled out any immediate move towards a national park.

They want to develop more Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty instead.

Dermot Nesbitt: The minister has not ruled out national parks

The report states: "National Parks should be considered after all remaining AONBs have been designated."

This has angered many park supporters.

It is more than a decade since the EHS designated the last AONB in Northern Ireland and given their pace and lack of resources, it could take decades before they are all identified and named.

The department even admits in the report that time and resources are not in its favour.

Enhanced trading

But any financial arguments are seen by many to be in favour of national parks.

Research in the UK and in Canada show that the financial return from the parks is substantial.

For every �1 of investment, �4 is created within the local economy, through increased tourism and enhanced trading and the increased value of local goods and services.

Tony Gates of the Mourne Heritage Trust said the rural community could not wait any longer.

"We are running out of time. It is a discussion that should have taken place yesterday, we need to be taking decisions soon."

However, the environment minister has revealed that his views may be different to those of his department.

Mr Nesbitt has suggested that a national park for Northern Ireland could be possible soon.

Whatever way they are interpreted, his remarks are bound to open up the discussion and give hope to those who will settle for nothing less than a full-blooded national park.

He also knows the price is small - estimated to be between �1m and �2m to launch a park - which is not beyond the financial ability of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

It could finally happen after many years of waiting.