Skip to main content
Normal View

Rural Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 October 2021

Thursday, 14 October 2021

Questions (47, 48, 78)

Seán Canney

Question:

47. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she plans to increase funding for local improvement schemes in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49402/21]

View answer

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

48. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the dates on which LIS funding for 2021 was allocated to local authorities in 2021; the amounts allocated; the amount of expenditure to date by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49843/21]

View answer

Claire Kerrane

Question:

78. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the engagement she has had with the Department of Transport in relation to the funding of the local improvement scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49835/21]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 48 and 78 together.

As part of 'Our Rural Future', the Government is committed to ensuring that the Local Improvement Scheme is funded into the future. This reflects the important contribution which the scheme makes to connectivity in rural Ireland. The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities and represents a vital piece of infrastructure for rural communities.

The scheme has been funded by my Department since 2017 and is administered by Local Authorities. Prior to 2017, the scheme was not funded for a number of years.

I launched the 2021 Scheme on 14th May with a budget of €10.5 million. I was very pleased to source additional funding for the Scheme during the year and to allocate a further round of funding on 29th July to bring the total level of funding to €21 million this year.

I was pleased to be in a position to again announce an increase in the funding for LIS from €10.5 million to €11 million as part of Budget 2022. In addition, I have continued to actively engage with my colleague, Minister Ryan, to explore the potential for further financial support for LIS from his Department, While I accept that his Department's priority at the moment remains the upkeep and maintenance of national and local public roads, I believe a cross- Government approach might reap dividends in tackling the backlog of applications on hand in local authorities.

I have set out in the table below the allocations to individual authorities under the 2021 Scheme. Payment by my Department under the Scheme normally occurs in Quarter 4 of each year when the works are fully completed by the Local Authorities, and I would expect the 2021 payments by my Department to the Local Authorities to commence in the coming weeks.

County LIS 2021 Allocation

Carlow

€463,931

Cavan

€1,119,389

Clare

€828,528

Cork

€1,412,738

Donegal

€1,188,403

Galway

€1,580,871

Kerry

€1,187,099

Kildare

€495,586

Kilkenny

€778,682

Laois

€554,259

Leitrim

€503,830

Limerick

€1,504,659

Longford

€393,041

Louth

€417,821

Mayo

€1,361,625

Meath

€803,937

Monaghan

€1,326,223

Offaly

€545,240

Roscommon

€445,495

Sligo

€470,542

Tipperary

€721,531

Waterford

€872,759

Westmeath

€628,389

Wexford

€653,786

Wicklow

€741,635

Question No. 48 answered with Question No. 47.
Question No. 49 answered with Question No. 22.
Top
Share