Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The local improvement scheme, LIS, is a programme for improvement works on small private and non-public roads. The scheme is funded by my Department and administered through the local authorities.

In September 2017, following a number of years when there was no dedicated funding for the scheme, I approved €10 million in funding for it. I allocated a further €7.4 million for the scheme from savings made elsewhere in my Department's Vote at the end of November 2017.  The total allocation of €17.4 million for the scheme in 2017 included allocations of €496,158 to Sligo County Council and €487,947 to Leitrim County Council.  Following on from the successful relaunch of the scheme in 2017, I announced details of the 2018 local improvement scheme on 27 February.  I have allocated an initial amount of €10.8 million to county councils across the country under the scheme this year. The funding includes allocations of €282,000 to Sligo County Council and €250,000 to Leitrim County Council. Detailed information on the roads selected by the Sligo and Leitrim County Councils for improvement works in 2018 can be found on my Department’s website.

As part of the 2018 local improvement scheme, I also requested each county council to compile a secondary list of suitable road projects which they would have the capacity to complete should additional funding become available through my Department later in the year.  I will be monitoring the position in the context of my Department's overall expenditure performance in the coming months.

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