Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 April 2018
1529. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if funding will be made available through the local infrastructure housing activation fund, LIHAF, or other viable funding streams within his Department to progress the port access northern cross route project in Drogheda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15379/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe first call for proposals under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) was issued to all local authorities in August 2016 and 34 projects received preliminary approval in March 2017.
Louth County Council submitted three projects for consideration under LIHAF. Funding was approved for an access road at Newtown Road, Drogheda in the amount of €1.22 million and for road improvements at Mount Avenue, Dundalk in the amount of €3.33m. However, the proposal for the Port Access Northern Access Route (PANCR), Drogheda was not approved for funding at that time.
As part of Budget 2018, I announced that an additional €50 million Exchequer funding will be available for a second LIHAF call. This will, as was the case in the original LIHAF call, be subject to matching funding by local authorities, where the Department will provide 75% Exchequer funding, with the Local Authorities themselves providing 25% matching funding. This will bring overall LIHAF funding under both calls to €266 million.
I anticipate that there will be a further call for proposals under phase 2 of LIHAF shortly. It will be open to all local authorities to submit new projects or resubmit previous projects for consideration at that time. Following assessment and selection of successful projects, it is expected that these LIHAF 2 projects would commence towards the end of 2018.
