Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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271. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if a decision has been made on a funding application by a group (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16071/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that an application in respect of the project referred to by the Deputy was received by my Department under Measure 2 of the 2020 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, through Kerry Co. Council. The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the maintenance and promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in rural Ireland.

Measure 2 of the scheme funds medium-scale projects, with grant funding of up to €200,000 per project. 

There has been a strong level of  interest in the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme since it was introduced in 2017.  In 2020, 287 applications were received by my Department under the scheme, seeking funding of over €26 million. This greatly exceeded the budget available.

All applications were assessed competitively and I was in a position to approve 226 projects for funding of approximately €16 million, including 38 projects under Measure 2. 

The project referred to by the Deputy was unsuccessful on this occasion.  However, Local Authorities will have an opportunity to submit revised applications in respect of unsuccessful projects under the 2021 call for proposals under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme which I hope to launch shortly.

My Department can provide feedback to the Local Authority on the 2020 project application, if required.

Details of all projects approved under the 2020 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme are available on the Gov.ie website, at .