- Outdoor Recreation and Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) to provide major boost to rural tourism
- €15 million fund to develop our mountains, lakes, beaches, bogs, forest walks, blueways, greenways and bridleways
- Focus on supporting adventure activities such as hiking, mountaineering, kayaking, swimming and cycling
- Funded in partnership with Fáilte Ireland
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has launched a major €15 million fund that will support dozens of outdoor adventure projects across the country.
The 2022 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) will see the development of natural amenities such as our mountains, lakes, beaches, bogs, walkways, greenways and blueways.
The Scheme, which saw its funding increased by Minister Humphreys as part of the Budget, will place a particular focus on developing adventure tourism in Rural Ireland.
It will support activities such as hiking, mountaineering, kayaking, swimming and cycling, which were especially popular among families throughout the Pandemic.
Today’s announcement builds on the commitment under “Our Rural Future” to continuing the investment in infrastructure that caters for the growth in both local and international outdoor adventure tourism.
The projects that will be supported under ORIS are designed to benefit the health and wellbeing of the communities in which they are located.
The 2022 scheme will provide investment ranging from €30,000 for small scale projects and up to €500,000 for large scale projects. This is an alteration on last year’s scheme, which provided funding ranging from €20,000 instead of €30,000.
The Scheme is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development in partnership with Fáilte Ireland and projects applications will be accepted under the following Measures:
- Measure 1 for small scale projects requiring funding of up to €30,000,
- Measure 2 for medium scale projects with funding of up to €200,000,
- Measure 3 for large scale projects seeking funding of up to €500,000, and
- Project Development Measure funding of up to €50,000 for development costs for strategic large scale projects
Examples of activities which applicants should have in mind when submitting applications for the 2022 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 | |
| Orienteering | Sailing | |
| Bouldering, Scrambling, Rock Climbing, Mountaineering | Diving |
The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) 2022, provides funding as follows:
- Measure 1 –
- Small scale repair/development/promotion and marketing.
- Funding of up to €30,000 at a 90% rate of aid.
- Maximum of 7 applications can be submitted by each Local Authority.
- Maximum of 3 applications (increased from 2 in 2020) 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.
- 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 –
- Detailed development of projects which would enable them to reach a standard for application under Measure 2 or 3 of ORIS.
- Local Authorities and State Bodies can submit two application each under this Measure.
Full details are available in the Scheme Outline available https://www.gov.ie/en/service/d14e1-outdoor-recreation-infrastructure-scheme/