Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys has announced a “record” funding allocation of €40 million for repairs and improvement works on non-public rural roads and laneways under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS).
This investment is aimed at improving access to homes and farms, the Department of Rural and Community Development said.
This latest round of funding announcement brings the total funding that has been allocated to local authorities under the scheme since it was re-introduced in 2017 to almost €170 million. Since 2017, the scheme has allocated funding for works on over 4,000 roads.
The allocation of funds is for works to be carried out across 2024 and 2025 on roads not normally maintained by the local authorities. The decision to allow works to be carried out into 2025 is to offset any delays to works this year due to unfavourable weather conditions.
Local authorities are responsible for identifying and prioritising roads for improvement works under the scheme, in consultation with residents and landowners.
The funding provided by the Department of Rural and Community Development will be complemented by a local financial contribution from landowners and householders, as well as local authority resources.
The minister has announced an amendment to the criteria of the LIS, so that only one herd number will be required for a valid application. Up to now, two herd numbers were required to be using the lane.
Minister Humphreys said that change comes on foot of feedback from local representatives.
Eligible roads under the Local Improvement Scheme fall into one of the following three categories:
- Non-public roads that provide access to parcels of land of which at least two are owned or occupied by different persons, one of which must be for agricultural or harvesting purposes;
- Non-public roads that provide access for agricultural or harvesting purposes (including turf or seaweed) for two or more persons;
- Non-public roads leading to important community amenities such as graveyards, beaches, piers and mountains, among others.
Roads leading to commercial enterprises are not eligible.
The financial contribution provided by the household or landowner is set at 10% of the estimated cost for eligible roads with up to and including five households or landowners, and 15% for those roads with six or more households or landowners.
The maximum amount that any household and landowners is required to contribute is capped at €1,200.
The amount of funding allocated in today’s announcement ranges from €938,444 in counties Carlow, Longford, Louth, and Monaghan, to over €2.58 million for counties Cork, Donegal, and Galway.
Counties Cork, Donegal, Galway, Mayo, and Sligo have been allocated separate funding for rural road improvements on islands, with this funding ranging from €20,000 for Co. Sligo to €500,000 for Co. Galway.
Commenting on the latest funding announcement, Minister Humphreys said: “LIS is a critical source of funding for small non-public roads not normally maintained by local authorities.
“It’s a…scheme under which the homeowners and farmers who use the lane make a small local contribution and the government provides the balance of funding to ensure that people can access their homes and farms on good quality surfaces,” the minister added.