Minister announces investments of over €3m in Coillte sites nationwide
Ellen O'Donoghue
Investments of over €3 million in Coillte recreational sites have been announced for 2026.
Minister for Rural Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, announced details of €3.13 million funding that his department will provide in 2026 as part of its strategic partnership with Coillte.
The money will go towards new trail infrastructure and ongoing maintenance at 224 Coillte sites.
Announcing the funding, Calleary said that 2026 marks the final year of his department's five-year strategic partnership with Coillte, which has seen over €16 million invested in Coillte recreation sites.
“As well as being used to maintain and develop Coillte’s trail network and recreation amenities, this funding has also supported Coillte’s engagement with local communities and recreation groups right across the country," Calleary said.
“These forests are great assets that visitors and local communities enjoy on a daily basis and they are a hugely important element of the outdoor recreation sector in Ireland."
The 2026 investment includes €2 million to facilitate ongoing maintenance and associated supports at over 200 recreational sites across the country.
"In addition, €1.1 million is being provided to support the development of new recreation amenities and upgrades of existing facilities at 20 sites nationwide," Calleary said.
Some of the recreation amenities receiving funding include €90,000 for car park improvement works and the upgrade of 1.4km of trail at Woodpark, Co Clare; €280,000 for the renewal of the Forest Park entrance road at Curragh Chase Forest Park, Co Limerick; and €60,000 for the renewal of the bog bridge at Sopwell Co Tipperary.
€105,000 has been allocated to the Belleek Woods in Co Mayo for the first installation of play features as part of a new woodland play trail; €76,000 has been allocated for car park improvement works and trail upgrades at Monivea Forest in Co Galway; and €82,000 has been allocated to Dún an Rí Forest Park in Co Cavan for the modernisation of toilet facilities.
Calleary stressed the positive impact that recreation in the outdoors has on physical and mental wellbeing.
"Our partnership with Coillte is one of the most important and I look forward to working with the organisation in the coming months to develop a new strategic partnership from 2027," he said.
“Alongside strategic partnerships such as this, my Department is also providing direct investment through the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS).”
Coillte's chief executive, Imelda Hurley, described the investment as "critical" to ensuring that they can continue to develop and enhance the receation sites nationwide, "and in doing so, support rural economic development, and provide high-quality, accessible spaces for people to enjoy."
