The Local Improvement Scheme supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded into the future.
The Scheme was reintroduced by my Department in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding. Since 2017, my Department has allocated almost €114 million to the scheme. This has upgraded some 3,700 non-public roads and lanes benefiting over 16,000 landowners and residents in these rural areas.
From 2017 to 2022, a total of €6.2 million was allocated to County Kerry which saw improvement works carried out on 173 roads. This is the fifth highest allocation nationally.
My Department reviews the scheme criteria each year prior to launch including the mechanism for funding allocation. The prioritisation of roads for submission to my Department is a matter for each local authority in line with the Scheme Outline.
I launched the 2023 scheme in February with an increase in base funding to €12 million. I also announced an addition €0.55 million for improvement works on our offshore islands. Within this funding, I allocated almost €800,000 to County Kerry bringing their total allocation since 2017 to over €7 million.
The Department has recently engaged with the local authorities to establish the delivery capacity should additional funding allocations be granted for the scheme this year. In this regard, Kerry County Council advised that it has capacity to deliver further 16 roads this year, corresponding to a grant allocation of €1,085,441 to complete.
I will monitor expenditure patterns in my Department and should savings emerge, I will give consideration to allocating additional funding to the scheme.
Finally, I have engaged on a number of occasions with my colleague, the Minister for Transport regarding his Department contributing to a jointly funded Locally Improvement Scheme.
