Over €1m in funding has been awarded to outdoor recreation projects in Meath

Over €1m in funding has been allocated to outdoor recreation projects in Meath as part of a €16.1 million national investment announced today.

The Greenway Kilberry link is to get a major €500,000 boost to construct a link (footway/cycleway) between Kilberry village and the Boyne to Lakelands Greenway at Gibbstown together with a designated car parking area to maximise access to the greenway.

The Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway Enhancement will receive €200,000 as part of a huge investment in Outdoor Adventure Tourism. This will include provision of information panels, benches and planting as well as creation of a website with comprehensive visitor information.

€200,000 in funding for The Ratoath Walking Trail will see the upgrade of existing section of the trail and link to another section to allow greater access to the amenity.

Meanwhile €140,400 has been allocated for a Link to Parc Rath Chairn, a project that will construct a walkway to provide a direct link to the amenity park which will allow pedestrian and cyclists to access the park directly. The total amount of funding for Meath comes to €1,040,400.

The announcement will benefit local communities with new or enhanced outdoor facilities while also helping to support local economies by continuing to offer domestic and international visitors an attractive and exciting array of outdoor amenities.

This funding will be invested in 69 larger scale outdoor recreation projects, bringing the total number of projects funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development, since its establishment in 2017, to over 1,650 nationwide.

These projects will be delivered by July 2026. This announcement today is in addition to the €2.3m which was announced in November 2023 for 50 projects under the Project Development Measure of ORIS and €4.1m approved under measure one earlier this year.

In announcing the huge investment in outdoor projects The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD said:

“Our beautiful outdoors have never been more available to us than today. With the summer months upon us, now is the time to enjoy the wonderful amentities right on our doorstep.”

“This investment from my Department brings the overall allocation under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) to over €129 million since the Scheme was first launched in 2016.

“It is testament to the positive impact ‘Our Rural Future’ continues to have on communities all over Ireland and Government’s commitment to that policy."

Minister Humphreys concluded by reiterating her commitment to supporting outdoor recreation:

“These excellent projects will add to Ireland’s now large pool of world class amenities and will help to achieve the goals of the National Outdoor Recreation Strategy – Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors."