Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 December 2020
24. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding that will be provided in County Kilkenny under the local improvement scheme in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43601/20]
View answer37. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding that will be provided in County Carlow under the local improvement scheme in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43599/20]
View answer39. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding that will be provided in counties Offaly and Laois under the local improvement scheme in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43603/20]
View answer49. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding that will be provided in counties Longford and Westmeath under the local improvement scheme in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43609/20]
View answer59. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding that will be provided in County Tipperary under the local improvement scheme in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43605/20]
View answer77. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding that will be provided in counties Sligo and Leitrim under the local improvement scheme in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43607/20]
View answer669. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding that will be provided in County Cork under the local improvement scheme in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43595/20]
View answer670. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding that will be provided in County Clare under the local improvement scheme in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43597/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 37, 39, 49, 59, 77, 669 and 670 together.
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 relevant Local Authorities.
Since the LIS was re-launched in 2017, over €58 million has been allocated to Local Authorities for improvements to qualifying roads under the scheme.
An allocation of €10 million was made available in 2020 for the Local Improvement Scheme and all of the funding allocated has now been drawn down by the Local Authorities. The 2020 LIS allocation for each county can be found on the Gov.ie website at: https://www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/d309ea-local-improvement-scheme/.
Recognising the value of the scheme for people living in rural areas, I was pleased to secure an increase in the allocation for LIS in Budget 2021. Funding for the scheme next year will increase by 5%, to €10.5 million. The share of this funding to be distributed to each of the relevant Local Authorities will be announced when I formally launch the 2021 scheme next year.
