Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 June 2018
17. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount of funding provided to counties Carlow and Kilkenny under the local improvement scheme in 2017; his plans to announce a new local improvement scheme in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25803/18]
View answerThe Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is a programme for improvement works on small private/non-public roads. The scheme is currently funded by my Department and administered through the Local Authorities.
In 2017, I allocated a total of €440,460 to Carlow County Council under LIS. An initial allocation of €250,000 was made in September and a further allocation of €190,460 was made to Carlow in November, on foot of savings elsewhere in my Department's Vote.
I allocated a total of €605,565 to County Kilkenny under the LIS in 2017. €315,000 was allocated under the first round of funding in September, and a further €290,565 was allocated in November.
Following on from the launch of the 2017 scheme, I announced details of the 2018 Local Improvement Scheme on 27th February this year, with an allocation of €10.8 million for the scheme nationally.
County Carlow was allocated €250,000 under the 2018 scheme, and County Kilkenny was allocated €315,000, in line with their original 2017 allocations.
As part of the 2018 LIS scheme, I also requested each County Council to compile a secondary list of suitable LIS road projects which they would be able to complete if additional funding becomes available for the scheme later in the year. I will be monitoring the situation in the context of my Department's overall expenditure performance over the coming months.
Detailed information regarding the 2018 projects selected by Carlow and Kilkenny County Councils for LIS improvement works can be found on the Rural Development pages of my Department’s website.
