Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys has said that the priorities for funding of improvements for rural roads and laneways is “a matter exclusively” for local authorities, amid concerns of a “backlog” of applications.
The minister was responding to a parliamentary question from independent TD Denis Naughten, who asked the minister what steps she is taking to address the backlog in Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) applications.
The purpose of the scheme is to support improvements in rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities.
Minister Humphreys said she was “acutely aware” of the scheme’s importance to rural landowners and residents.
The minister added that under the ‘Our Rural Future’ strategy for rural Ireland, the government is “committed” to ensuring that the LIS is funded in the future.
“While significant progress has been made in recent years, there remains strong demand under the scheme. With this in mind and in order to help local authorities better plan their work programmes, this year I have directed additional funding to the LIS… My department also works closely with the local authorities to ensure funding is fully utilised,” Minister Humphreys said.
However, the minister also said she cannot influence what works the local authorities chose to fund.
“Importantly, although my department funds the scheme, it is administered by local authorities. It is therefore a matter exclusively for local authorities to determine priorities based on local demand. I have, however, emphasised the importance of focusing on delivery in recent years,” she said.
Minister Humphreys also said she had spoken to Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan on the possibility of his department co-funding the scheme.
“It is my intention to continue to support the scheme and, additionally, I have been engaging with my colleague, the Minister for Transport, with a view to that department co-funding the scheme to further support this important [measure],” she added.
The most recent funding under the scheme came in April, when the minister announced a record funding allocation of €40 million for repairs and improvements works on non-public roads and laneways.
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.