A total of 200 outdoor adventure projects have been unlocked for development across rural Ireland thanks to new investment.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD announced funding of €6 million under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS), which will help enhance outdoor amenities such as our walkways, cycleways, rivers, lakes and beaches.

Almost €4.3 million will be used to improve some 163 outdoor amenities across the country. Each project will receive up to €30,000 to support their enhancement. Successful projects include upgrades to the access road at Kincasslagh Tower, Co Donegal, and the Carlingford Omeath Greenway Upgrade.

Funding will also be invested in 37 outdoor projects that are currently at the early stage of development. These projects are to receive funding of up to €50,000. They include the extension of the Enniscorthy Riverside Walk and Glen Wood Footbridge in County Sligo.

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Funding for larger scale projects under Measures 2 and 3 of the scheme will be announced by Minister Humphreys in the coming weeks.

Announcing the funding, Minister Humphreys said: "We're at the height of the Summer and whatever the weather I know families are getting out and enjoying Ireland's great outdoors. The funding I'm announcing today will support the further development of our greenways, blueways and hiking trails making them even more enjoyable places for families to visit. Every county will benefit from today's announcement so if you're a walker, a swimmer, a cyclist or even a fisherman – check out the list to see what's happening in your county. Getting active in the fresh air outdoors can be a tonic for the body and soul and this was brought home to us all during the pandemic. Some of these amenities are often hidden gems on our doorsteps so I'm encouraging people to get out and discover them over the rest of the Summer.

"Over the last number of years my Department has provided unprecedented investment in our outdoor amenities, underpinned by our most ambitious rural development policy in decades – 'Our Rural Future'. Outdoor recreation tourism is a growing sector internationally, and has the potential to have major economic spin-off benefits for our rural towns and villages. My Department is at an advanced stage of developing the new National Outdoor Recreation Strategy which will underpin this investment and give it a platform for further growth."