The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, supports improving rural roads and laneways not usually maintained by local authorities.
As part of Our Rural Future , the Government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded into the future. LIS was reintroduced by my Department in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding. Since 2017, my Department has allocated almost €130 million to the scheme, which has upgraded some 4,000 non-public roads and lanes, benefiting over 16,000 landowners and residents in these rural areas.
In 2023, Meath received a total allocation of €994,513 under the Local Improvement Scheme. This represents an increase of over €425,000 on funding provided in 2022. 14 roads are on track to be completed through LIS funding this year, an increase of 5 from 2022 when 9 roads were completed under the scheme.
Each year, my Department works closely with local authorities to ensure that the funding provided is fully utilised. In 2023, in a further effort to address the backlog and based on savings identified within the Department, a second round of funding was announced in July.
Since the re-introduction of LIS in 2017, Meath has received €4,268,231 in funding, 3.29% of the overall LIS budget to undergo repair works on non-public roads and laneways.
I will continue to closely monitor expenditure patterns in my Department, and should savings emerge, I will consider again allocating additional funding to the scheme in 2024.