Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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810. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme will open for applications in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25747/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) is funded by my Department under Our Rural Future. The Scheme provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor infrastructure such as trails, walkways, cycleways, blueways and bridleways throughout rural Ireland.

The Scheme is central to Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors,the new National Outdoor Recreation Strategy, which is set to shape the future of outdoor recreation over the next five years. The Strategy will ensure that there is a joined up and coordinated approach to deliver maximum impact from the significant investment in the sector and to build on the natural advantages in place.

There is an undoubted increase in the appetite for the outdoors. A growing wealth of outdoor recreation infrastructure has been developed in recent years thanks to significant levels investment across Government. Since the launch of the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme in 2016, funding of in excess of €106 million has supported more than 1,500 projects across the country.

I expect to open the 2023 round of ORIS funding shortly and details will be available on my Departments website.