Our Rural Future: Minister Humphreys Launches €20 Million Investment in Our Great Outdoors
Minister Humphreys launches €20 million Investment in our Great Outdoors
- Major Fund to develop our upland areas, lakes, rivers, beaches, blueways, walking trails and forest walks
- Outdoor Recreation and Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) to provide a range of funding opportunities, up to a maximum value of €500,000
- Focus on supporting outdoor activities such as walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, kayaking, sailing, paragliding and kite-surfing
- Minister Humphreys: ‘This is about making Rural Ireland a first class destination for adventure tourism’
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has today announced a major €20 million fund which will support hundreds of outdoor recreation projects across the country.
The 2024/25 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development of new and existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in rural areas.
It will see the development of our natural amenities such as our mountains, lakes, rivers, beaches, blue-ways, bogs, forest walks and upland areas.
The funding will provide not only an outlet for the communities in which they are situated – but will also deliver added value from a tourism perspective.
Launching the 2024/25 scheme, Minister Humphreys said:
I’m very pleased to be launching the 2024/25 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme today.
Since this scheme was launched in 2016, over €129 million has been provided to support over 1,770 projects. The funding I am announcing today will add further to this project pipeline.
Through ‘Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors’, the national outdoor recreation strategy, my Department is working to transform the outdoor recreation sector in Ireland.
At the national outdoor recreation conference in Sligo earlier this year, I was very encouraged by the enthusiasm and interest of everyone in the sector.
It is clear to see that, through our ongoing investment and the work that is happening on the ground, the outdoor recreation sector is going from strength to strength.
With this €20 million Fund now announced, we are well on track to realise my goal of making Rural Ireland a first class destination for adventure tourism.
Minister Humphreys added:
My Department’s Walks Scheme continues to grow and will soon have over 150 trails signed up to the scheme. This scheme facilitates walkers to enjoy rural Ireland and provides modest incomes to landowners who maintain sections of trails that traverse their lands.
Just last month I also announced funding of €1 million to support the work of the community groups who develop and manage many of our walking trails. There has never been as much investment in this sector.
The funding that I am announcing today will further add to the world class offering of reactional amenities that Ireland now has to offer.
There are so many different opportunities out there for us to enjoy the great outdoors, so I would encourage everyone to get out there and see these wonderful amenities for yourself.
Full details of the Outdoor Recreation Scheme are available here.
Today’s announcement is a key strand of Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors, the Government’s ambitious outdoor recreation strategy.
The Strategy aims to grow the sector in a sustainable manner, increase the number of people active in the outdoors, and foster a greater understanding of how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. The Minister also today published an update on the delivery of the strategy which is available here.
2024/25 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme
The Scheme is administered at a local level by local authorities and local development companies. It will prioritise projects which have evidence of strong community engagement. Examples of activities which applicants should have in mind when submitting applications for the 2024/25 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) include:
| Land-Based | Water-Based | Air-Based |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Canoeing/ Kayaking/SUP | Paragliding |
| Hillwalking/Hiking | Rowing | Hang-gliding |
| Leisure Cycling | Open Water Swimming including Tidal Pools | |
| Mountain Biking | Surfing | |
| Equestrian Trails | Coasteering | |
| Trail/Off-road Running | Wind surfing/Kite Surfing/SUP | |
| Orienteering | Sailing | |
| Bouldering, Scrambling, Rock Climbing, Mountaineering | Diving |
Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Funding
ORIS 2024/25 provides funding as follows:
Measure 1: Small Scale Repair/Development/Promotion and Marketing
- Funding of up to €40,000 at a 90% rate of aid.
- Maximum of 6 applications can be submitted by each local authority.
- Maximum of 3 applications can be submitted by each local development company.
Measure 2: Medium Scale Repair/Upgrade and New Trail/Amenity Development
- Funding of up to €200,000 at a 90% rate of aid.
- Maximum of 3 applications can be submitted by each local authority.
- Maximum of 1 application may be submitted per local development company and state body.
Measure 3: Large Scale Repair/Upgrade and New Strategic Trail/Amenity Development
- Funding of up to €500,000 at a 90% rate of aid
- Local authorities and state bodies can submit 1 application each under this Measure.
Project Development Measure: Development Costs for Strategic Large Scale Projects
- Detailed development of projects which would enable them to reach a standard for application under Measure 2 or Measure 3 of ORIS.
- Funding of up to €50,000 at a 90% rate of aid.
- Local authorities can each submit two applications under this Measure.
- Local development companies and state bodies can each submit one application under this Measure.
- Local authorities with inhabited off-shore islands may submit one additional application under this Measure (max. 3 applications) which relates directly to a project on one of the inhabited off-shore islands.
Embracing Ireland's Outdoors: National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023-2027
Find the entire strategy below.
Details of previous successful projects under ORIS can be found here.