Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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599. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when an announcement will be made in relation to the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4269/24]

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 recreational infrastructure such as walking trails, cycleways and blue ways throughout rural Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme in 2016, funding of almost €109 million has supported more than 1,550 projects across the country.

Last year, I launched the 2023 ORIS scheme with an allocation of €16 million, a €1 million increase on 2022. Applications were invited under the following four Measures:

• Measure 1: small scale projects requiring funding of up to €30,000,
• Measure 2: medium scale projects with funding of up to €200,000,
• Measure 3: 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.