NEW FUNDING WORTH €15 million has been allocated to boost outdoor adventure activities in parts of rural Ireland, with plans to develop on local tourism following the pandemic.

The Outdoor Recreation and Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) for 2022 will seek to further develop natural amenities throughout Ireland, including mountains, lakes, beaches, bogs and greenways.

The scheme was launched today by Rural and Community Development Minister, Heather Humphreys.

Activities like cycling, hiking, mountaineering, kayaking and swimming will be supported through the new scheme, with the Department saying that these were “especially” popular with families during the pandemic.

“Over the past two years we have all become even more aware of the importance of outdoor pursuits and activities.  Today’s announcement means that we will continue to invest in our natural amenities so even more people can enjoy the benefits,” said Humphreys.

“So, I’m urging applicants to be bold and ambitious with their proposals – so that we can continue to further develop adventure tourism to the benefit of our citizens.”

There will be three levels of investment possible through the scheme, with small scale projects being eligible to receive €30,000, while large scale projects can receive up to €500,000 in funding.

Smaller scale projects include repairs or development of projects, where the large scale projects are for larger repairs or the development of new amenities in an area.

The funding was welcomed by Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin, who said that opening up Ireland’s outdoors would help attract tourists, both domestic and international.

“ Opening up the outdoors for cycling, hiking, walking and other pursuits for domestic and international visitors will play an important role in tourism recovery,” said Martin.

“The range of projects funded throughout Ireland under this scheme to date are excellent and support Ireland’s ambition to be a renowned year-round destination for activity tourism.”