Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

I absolutely agree. We will try to get the allocations out early. Under the former Minister, Heather Humphreys, and under me and the current Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, where there were underspends in our capital area half way through the year, we put them in. That is why I was able to get the additional allocation. The initial allocation for 2026, which will be announced, is €17 million. I am confident we will be able to increase that. We will get it out early. I am confident, from engaging with my officials, that there are no major underspends in any local authority this year. It was astounding to me that any local authority would not spend its full LIS allocation. We have resolved that issue.

Department officials are engaging with the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and me on what a 2026 scheme would look like. I am very much open to suggestions, particularly on the backlog, on how to address it and how to achieve a balance in doing so. We will continue to engage with the Department of Transport on this in the context of the value my Department offers in this space.

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