Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme 2024/25

The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, has announced funding of €16.5 million to deliver 63 projects nationwide under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS).

This allocation relates to Measures 2 and 3 of the scheme, which provide grants of up to €500,000 for the strategic repair and maintenance of existing facilities, as well as the development of new recreational infrastructure.

The Minister has also confirmed the list of successful projects under Measure 1 and the Project Development Measure of the 2024/2025 ORIS. A further €8.7 million will support 221 recreational projects across the country. These projects include enhancements to walking and cycling trails, improvements to signage, provision of parking and trail furniture, and initiatives to market and promote Ireland’s outdoor recreational amenities.

ORIS Measure 1 Successful Projects

ORIS Measure 2 & 3 Successful Projects

Project Development Measure Successful Projects 

The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) supports the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and the necessary repair, enhancement, or promotion of existing outdoor recreation infrastructure in countryside areas across Ireland.

The Scheme is funded under Our Rural Future, which prioritises the growing outdoor activity tourism sector as part of a long-term vision for a vibrant and sustainable rural Ireland.

2024/25 ORIS Measures

The 2024/25 ORIS has four different funding streams known as measures. They are: 

  1. ORIS Measure 1: Small Scale Repair, Development, Promotion and Marketing. Maximum Funding €40,000
  2. ORIS Measure 2: Medium Scale Repair and Upgrade and New Trail and Amenity Development. Maximum Funding €200,000
  3. ORIS Measure 3: Strategic Large Scale Repair and Upgrade and New Strategic Trail and Amenity Development. Maximum Funding €500,000
  4. ORIS Measure 4: Project Development Measure which funds Development Costs for Strategic Large-Scale Projects. Maximum Funding €50,000

Eligible ORIS projects 

Eligible ORIS projects which could be funded include the following activities (this is a non-exhaustive list): 

  • Land-based activities: walking, hillwalking, hiking, leisure cycling, mountain biking, horseriding, running, orienteering, bounding, scrambling, rock climbing, mountaineering, caving, play in nature
  • Water-based activities: Canoeing, kayaking, rowing, wild swimming, surfing, coasteering, wind-surfing, kite-surfing, sailing, diving, angling, stand-up paddleboarding
  • Air-based activities: Paragliding, hang-gilding

How to apply

All interested local community groups must email their completed Expression of Interest forms and details to regen@longfordcoco.ie no later than Friday, 6 December 2024.

 

Further information

For further information, see the Our Rural Future - Rural Development Policy 2021-2025 and the Department of Rural and Community Development website.