Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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66. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the 2019 local improvement scheme, LIS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15234/19]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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102. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the LIS to local authorities nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15422/19]

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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I call Deputy McLoughlin. Back to the west.

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Back to Yeats country. My question relates to the status of the 2019 LIS. Will the Minister of State make a statement on the matter?

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I will take this question to allow the Minister time to draw breath.

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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You are keeping it in the west.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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Yes, exactly. I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 102 together.

The LIS is the programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in rural areas. It is funded by the Minister's Department and is administered through the local authorities. As the Deputy may be aware, there was no dedicated funding for the scheme due to the constraints on public expenditure, but the Minister was conscious of the underlying demand for the scheme in rural areas throughout the country.

The Minister introduced the LIS scheme in December 2017, allocating €17.5 million to local authorities for LIS roads in 2017, while in 2018, he allocated more than €20.8 million for LIS roads in two phases. On 7 February 2019, he announced the sum of €10 million for LIS 2019. Indicative allocations on a county-by-county basis can be found on the Department's website. It is a matter for the relevant local authority to determine which roads it wishes to prioritise from the allocated funding and to ensure that all roads meet the scheme criteria. Local authorities were asked to submit to the Department the final list of roads they intend to complete under the 2019 scheme on or before 1 April, and the Minister's officials are examining these submissions to ensure that they meet the scheme criteria. The LIS has been a great success since the Minister introduced it in 2017. It has supported improvement works on more than 1,200 roads in 18 months.

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I congratulate and thank the Minister and Minister of State. Like other Deputies, I lobbied the Minister for the reintroduction of the LIS, which has benefited many families, communities and local authorities throughout the country. We saw the reintroduction of the scheme in 2017, with an allocation of approximately €17.5 million, while in 2018, there was €20.8 million. In a cost-benefit analysis, the value of the scheme outweighs the work that is being done. People have benefited from the LIS in every area of the country.

There could never be enough money for the LIS. Having attended meetings and spoken with local councillors and communities, however, I know there is a need for more money. Is funding available in any other Department that may be surplus to requirement? The Government might consider allocating additional funding to the LIS because there is great value for the money that is spent, as I am sure the Acting Chairman will have seen in his constituency in County Roscommon. People have benefited enormously as a result of the scheme and I ask the Minister of State to comment in that regard.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I concur with all the Deputy's points, as I am sure all the Deputies present also will. The LIS is an effective way of providing infrastructure in the most rural areas in order that we can travel safely in our cars and walk, given that some of the roads can also function as walking amenities. The Minister allowed the local authorities to claim up to 10% of the net cost of projects selected for administration, which was a reduction of 5%. The sum that local authorities can invest per individual household is capped at €1,200, which means that in case there is a large amount to be paid but there are few people, it is capped at €1,200, which is important.

The Deputy asked about the future. Having had discussions with the Minister, I know that he will consider all the budgets and review them later in the year. If there is any surplus money, the LIS is an ideal place for the money to be spent quickly. The Deputy asked about other Departments but perhaps other Departments could choose to come on board. If the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has a few pounds to spare, it could invest it in the LIS because it would greatly enhance the scheme.

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his encouragement to local authorities and every one of us as Oireachtas Members. We see the benefits of the scheme in each of our rural constituencies.

Perhaps the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Ring, will see that any money spent on local improvement schemes is very worthwhile. I hope there will be additional funding and that other funding can be made available through the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, in consultation with the Department for Rural and Community Development, to enhance all local authorities by improving roads in their areas.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I was in the local authority in Galway and when this scheme ceased back in 2008 or 2009, we had been getting an allocation of almost €1.5 million, while last year we got an allocation of €1.9 million. We are back up there now but there are a lot of roads in the queue to be done. Local authorities are tackling them with vigour and, over the next number of years, I hope we will see roads taken out of the queue so that we can do them on demand. When an authority puts in an application it may have to wait for the next year's allocation. The scheme was great when it was first brought in and it is back in again now. We need to support it, protect it and enhance it with more money from other Departments.

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Niamh Smyth sends her apologies. Her question was included in the group but she was not available.