Roscommon County Council will administer the 2024/2025 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) funded by the Department of Rural & Community Development.

The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme is funded under Project Ireland 2040 and is a key initiative of Our Rural Future – Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025 and Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors, the National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023 – 2027, Roscommon Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023-2028

In line with Embracing Ireland's Outdoors, outdoor recreation is defined as activities that take place in the natural environment, such as walking, canoeing, mountain biking, orienteering and wild swimming. It does not include activities that take place outdoors on confined courses or pitches (such as golf, football, and show-jumping) or motorised activities (such as quads/scramblers). As a consequence such activities are not eligible for funding under ORIS.

The focus of ORIS is to support outdoor recreational infrastructure in countryside areas across Ireland that not only provides an outlet for the communities in which they are situated but also delivers added value form a tourism perspective. Proposals typically funded by ORIS include walkways, cycleways, blueways, water and cycle trails, mountain access routes, bridleways, and open water amenities at bogs, rivers and lakes.

 2024/2025 ORIS Scheme Measures

Note:

• All necessary consent must be in place at the time of making a funding application i.e. planning permissions, landowner consents, insurance etc.
• Match funding will be required from the group for the successful project

 Roscommon County Council now seeks expressions of interest for funding of suitable projects under this initiative.

• Measure 1 Application Form
• Measure 2 & 3 Application Form
• Project Development Measure Application Form 
• Scheme Outline

All expressions of interest applications should be marked ORIS 2024/2025 and submitted by email to placeshaping@roscommoncoco.ie     

A webinar on ORIS will be held at 7 pm on Monday 25th November. Please register to attend using this link https://tinyurl.com/44fbbsmx

 Completed expression of interest forms must be returned to Roscommon County Council before 12 noon on 3rd January 2025. Expressions of interest received after this date and time will not be considered for the 2024/2025 scheme. All applications will be subject to a selection process using National Criteria. Selected expression of interest applications will be developed into detailed bids for consideration for the 2024/2025 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.