Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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735. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider reintroducing the LIS as this was of major benefit to families in rural Ireland living in cul-de-sac roads in poor condition. [16690/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Local Improvement Scheme has been reviewed and improved in 2014. This Scheme provides funding for road and laneways that councils have not taken in charge.  However, the maintenance and improvement of these roads is, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant landowner.

As indicated to all local authorities on 24 January 2014, the Local Improvement Scheme was reinstated but with no separate allocation for this grant category.  Instead, local authorities may use up to 15% (up from 7% in 2013) of their initial Discretionary Grant towards local improvement schemes should they wish to do so (€10.5 million is available in 2014 for LIS). The local contribution for these schemes remains at 20% of the total cost of the project and the same eligibility rules apply for these schemes. 

For example, under the enhanced provision for LIS in 2014 it would be open to Longford and Westmeath County Councils to assign €170,407 and €232,920 respectively from their Discretionary Grants to Local Improvement Schemes. 

Furthermore, it is open to local authorities to supplement the percentage of their Discretionary Grant that they can use for the local improvement schemes with their own resources.