The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, is a programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in rural areas which are not under the normal maintenance of the Local Authorities. The scheme is funded by my Department and is administered through the Local Authorities.
The LIS is targeted at roads in rural areas. The main condition of eligibility for the scheme is that road projects must provide access to parcels of land of which two or more are owned or occupied by different persons engaged in separate agricultural or harvesting activities. Local Authorities have discretion, subject to a maximum of 25% of their allocation, to fund non-public amenity roads leading to important community amenities such as graveyards, beaches, piers, mountain access points or other tourist/heritage sites.
Given the objectives and conditions of the scheme, I currently have no plans to extend the LIS beyond the Local Authorities delivering the scheme in rural areas.