Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 September 2022
115. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if local authorities have the capacity to clear local improvement scheme lists in an acceptable time; the number of roads in County Kerry for which the local authority expressed an ability to improve in 2021 and 2022; and the subsequent number of roads for which funding was granted in both years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45004/22]
View answerThe Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. The scheme is demand-led and makes an important contribution to connectivity in rural Ireland. As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that it is funded into the future.
There is strong demand under LIS, not only in Kerry but right across rural Ireland. The scheme was reintroduced in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding. From 2017 to 2021, improvement works have been completed on over 3,000 non-public roads and lanes benefiting over 13,300 landowners and residents in these rural areas. Since the LIS scheme was reintroduced in 2017, aggregate investment has now surpassed the €100 million mark, which is clear testament to Government's commitment in Our Rural Future to improve rural connectivity.
In 2021, €1.2 million in total was allocated to Kerry County Council under the Scheme. A total of 18 LIS roads were submitted and all were approved for funding.
I was pleased, as part of Budget 2022, to announce an increase in the base funding from €10.5 million to €11 million this year. I announced details of the first round of funding under LIS in early April, which included €704,030 for County Kerry.
To address the strong demand, and following the identification of savings in other capital areas, I was delighted to be in a position to double the overall provision for the Scheme to €22 million in August. Under the second funding round, I increased the allocation to Kerry by a further €791,460, bringing the total allocated this year to almost €1.5 million.
Kerry County Council submitted 22 LIS roads for upgrading works this year and these have all been approved under the Scheme.
County Kerry has been allocated over €6.2 million since the re-introduction of the Scheme.
