Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

381. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to run an outdoor infrastructure recreation scheme again in 2018 in view of the tight timeframe for applications to the 2017 scheme​. [25793/17]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the necessary maintenance, enhancement or promotion of existing recreational infrastructure in rural areas across Ireland.

On 28 April, I announced details of €11 million in funding for the 2017 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme as part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development. Funding will be available under the scheme for a range of initiatives, from small scale local projects to large-scale strategic projects.

The closing date for applications is 31st May for projects with a grant value of up to €100,000, and 16th June for large-scale projects with a grant value of up to €1 million. Full details of the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme are available on my Department’s website at .

It is intended to announce the successful applicants by the end of June, and projects will be expected to commence shortly thereafter.

The question of announcing a further round of the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme in 2018 will be kept under review in the context of the annual Budgetary process.