Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The local improvement scheme supports improving non-public rural roads and laneways not usually maintained by local authorities. Since its re-establishment in 2017, almost €170 million has been provided by the Government to local authorities under the scheme.

In recent years, my Department has increased the year-on-year base funding for the scheme and has redirected savings from other areas of the Department to the scheme as they have arisen. In April 2024, €40 million in funding was announced for the scheme across all local authorities to cover 2024-25. As the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, said, we have recently opened the 2025 scheme and invited local authorities to submit their lists of priority roads for completion in 2025.

Since 2017, Kerry has been allocated a total of €10.37 million in local improvement scheme funding. This figure includes the 2024-25 allocation of €2.57 million.

Each year my Department carries out a review of the scheme to ensure allocations across local authorities are made as fairly and efficiently as possible. My departmental officials also work with local authorities to ensure that funding is fully utilised each year.

Our Rural Future sets out that the Government will continue to invest in the local improvement scheme. I am personally committed to it and see the value of it in my county as well as in Kerry. We are endeavouring to get extra resources into it to ensure the backlog, as discussed between the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and Deputy Charles Ward, is addressed. We are awaiting from each council a list of priorities for 2025. They set those priorities.

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