Local Improvement Scheme

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 October 2017

Tuesday, 24 October 2017

Questions (379)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

379. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to amend the rules for the local improvement scheme for 2018 to facilitate the upgrading of roads, in circumstances in which there are two households living on a road and remove the requirement that there must be at least two farmers on a road with farms abutting the road to be eligible for the scheme, in view of the fact that the vast majority of persons living in rural Ireland now are not farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45079/17]

Written answers

Minister for Rural and Community Development

On 21st September this year, I announced the provision of €10 million for a Local Improvement Scheme to support improvement works on private and non-public roads.  Local Authorities were notified that the scheme was primarily subject to the rules laid out in the Local Improvement Scheme Memorandum issued by the Department of the Environment and Local Government in 2002.

This Memorandum stipulates that eligible projects include those which provide access to parcels of land, of which at least two are owned or occupied by different persons engaged in separate agricultural activities, or provide access for harvesting purposes for two or more persons. Projects which, in the opinion of the Local Authority, will be used by the public - for example to access amenities - are also eligible.

I have no plans at present to change the criteria for 2018.