Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 October 2025
924. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht for an update in relation to the ORIS schemes currently with his Department in counties Carlow and Kilkenny; when funding will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57047/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) is funded by my Department under Our Rural Future. ORIS provides funding under a number of measures for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the necessary repair, enhancement or promotion of existing outdoor recreation infrastructure in countryside areas across Ireland. Such infrastructure includes for example trails, walkways, cycleways, blueways and bridleways in rural areas.
I was delighted to announce successful projects under measure 1 and the Project Development Measure (PDM) of the ORIS 2024/2025 programme in August of this year. My announcement for measure 1, which provides support for small scale infrastructure, included 2 projects in Carlow worth €75,753 and 9 projects in Kilkenny valued at €353,400. Included in the successful PDM announcement was 1 Carlow project valued at €49,500 and 2 projects from Kilkenny worth €99,500.
My officials are at an advanced stage of evaluating ORIS applications under measures 2 and 3 of the 2024/2025 scheme, which support larger scale infrastructure. This includes 1 project application from Carlow valued at €177,741 and 3 project applications from Kilkenny valued at over €839,425. I hope to be in a position to announce all successful projects in the coming weeks.
