Wicklow Harbour Receives Funding Towards Vital Sea-Trac System

Over €300,000 in funding has been allocated towards improving eight local infrastructural schemes.

A total of €306,750 is being made available for projects across rural upland and swimming areas of County Wicklow.

Among the projects being funded include walking trails, and signage on road crossings throughout the Wicklow Way.

€40,000 will also go towards the installation of a Sea-Trac system at Wicklow Harbour to create independent swimming access for those with a physical disability.

The funding will go towards:

• •          €47,700: Disability and Outdoor Recreation - Strategy and work plan to ensure accessibility for walking, cycling and water access for the disabled in Co Wicklow.
• •          €23,400: Rainfall/footfall monitoring - To evaluate the degradation of upland paths, looking at the correlation of footfall and rainfall and their impact
• •          €36,450: Wicklow Way Signs - Replacement of signage on road crossings throughout the Wicklow Way
• •          €39,600: Wild swimming infrastructure - Installation of changing screens at four locations and the installation of three bike shelters

Minister for Rural and Community Development Dara Calleary said:

“Investment in the outdoors is so important to us all from a physical and mental health perspective. I am very happy to be making this announcement today which will see over a wide range of capital projects developed and delivered all across the country, adding to our already impressive outdoor recreation offering.

“The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme continues to deliver on the commitments in Our Rural Future and the National Outdoor Recreation Strategy, ‘Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors’, and builds on unprecedented levels of investment in the sector in recent years.”

Fine Gael TD Edward Timmins says the funding is a great help to resources in the county:

 “This funding will be used to invest in recreational facilities such as walking trails, cycleways, water-based amenities and mountain access routes. When projects are delivered, this funding will provide a major boost to the local economy by attracting visitors and furthering our reputation as a destination for adventure tourism. Across the country there is €8.7 million being provided for 221 projects”.