Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 November 2022
63. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on his Department's engagement with the Department of Rural and Community Development regarding co-funding the local improvement scheme, given his Department used to have responsibility for this scheme and the significant demand on the scheme with regard to rural roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55709/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority. The maintenance of roads not taken in charge by local authorities is the responsibility of the relevant landowners.
The Local Government Act 2001 provides the statutory basis for the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS). Under that scheme, funding can be provided to local authorities for the construction and improvement of non-public roads (that is roads not taken in charge by local authorities) which meet the criteria set out in the Act.
Up to 2012 this Department did provide ring-fenced funding for this scheme. However, due to the major cutbacks in roads funding arising from the post-2008 financial crisis, it was necessary for the Department to stop providing dedicated funding for LIS in 2012 and there was no funding for LIS in that year.
After that from 2013 to 2017, while there was no separate allocation for the Local Improvement Scheme, local authorities could use a proportion of their Discretionary Grant for the Local Improvement Scheme if they chose to do so. The reason this approach was taken was that it was considered that Councils were best placed to decide whether to concentrate the limited grant funding available on public roads or to operate a local improvement scheme for non-public roads.
In September 2017, the Minister for Rural and Community development reintroduced dedicated funding for the LIS and is continuing to fund the scheme. In light of the significant funding being put into LIS by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the need to direct resources into maintaining and renewing public roads, it was decided that the option of allocating a proportion of the Department's Discretionary Grant to LIS would no longer apply from 2018. This remains the position.
