John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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10. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he plans to increase the funding allocation for the local improvement scheme for County Cork in 2026 given the large number of unfunded applications, particularly in rural parts of Cork North-West; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67265/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy knows, the local improvement scheme, LIS, supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not usually maintained by local authorities. Since its re-establishment in 2017, the Government has provided almost €184 million to local authorities under it. This funding has resulted in improvement work on nearly 5,000 roads, benefiting over 23,000 landowners and residents in rural areas. Once LIS allocations are made each year on a county basis, it is at the discretion of each the local authorities to select and prioritise roads for improvement under the scheme each year.

I announced additional funding for the LIS in August, bringing the total allocation for 2025 to €30 million. This is the highest annual allocation for the scheme to date, and it reflects the priority that the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I attach to it.

Since 2017, Cork County Council has received a total of €14.15 million in LIS funding, the second-highest allocation to local authorities nationally. Cork's allocation under the 2025 scheme totalled €2.33 million.

The 2026 scheme is expected to be launched early next year. I am reviewing the provisions in advance to ensure they will be managed as reasonably and efficiently as possible. My officials will continue to engage with local authorities across the country as next year's scheme is rolled out. I encourage Deputies to engage with their local authorities to ensure all funding for 2025 is expended. Details of the 2026 scheme, including county allocations, will be circulated among local authorities and published on the Department's website as they become available.

John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister. It is great to see that so much progress has been made on the local improvement scheme since it was re-established in 2017. The 5,000 improved roads in many rural parts of the country are very important to many of our constituents. I welcome the fact that the Minister has doubled the funding this year to €30 million, representing one of the largest increases for the scheme in the history of the State. It is great to see that Cork County Council has expended over €14 million on the scheme since its re-establishment in 2017.

There are many roads in my constituency, Cork North-West. We had the privilege of having the Minister down in Rylane last weekend. Many roads around Rylane and other areas are in significant need of refurbishment. Many applications have been received by Cork County Council and there are many on hand. As a public representative for the area, I urge the Minister to continue to push for further funding between now and 2030 so we can continue to address the backlog of roads that need to be improved during that time.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. We had a super day in Rylane and Kishkeam. I thank everybody for their welcome, including Deputy John Paul O’Shea, Deputy Aindrias Moynihan and the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan. There was a lot of really good progress in respect of the subject matter of the discussions we had here earlier.

Cork County Council reported 175 LIS roads awaiting repair at the end of 2024. Fifty-one roads, including four island roads, have been repaired to date in 2025. Cork County Council is one of our best-performing local authorities. I am very conscious of the size of Cork county in the context of all our allocations. We will continue to work with local authorities on the LIS.

The cost per road repair differs from local authority to local authority. I am carrying out an analysis of what is influencing this. We need to address the backlog. The Deputy has spoken about the backlog in his area. I will do some work on this and am happy to take suggestions from all the rural Deputies on how we should address it.

John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister. It is good to see that Cork County Council is getting a lot of praise here this morning for its participation in the scheme and for ensuring many roads will be done this season. A total allocation of €2.33 million for 2025 is very welcome. I am sure many roads in my area, Cork North-West, and right across the county will be done. It is great that many roads on the islands off the mainland of Cork County have been done also.

It is important to get the allocations out early in the year so we can ask the local authorities about projects. The roads staff do all our public roads and are involved with the community involvement scheme and roads programme right across Cork county. It is important from a resource point of view to get the allocation as quickly as possible. I will work with the Minister, the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and others to try to address the long waiting list for Cork county. I can guarantee the Minister that we will spend whatever money we get.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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.