Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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598. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the community involvement scheme; his plans to operate the scheme in 2015; his views on the introduction of a similar scheme for local improvements, such as a local improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8814/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Community Involvement Scheme (CIS) was a pilot scheme which was completed in 2014. It has been decided that there will be no separate allocation under this grant category in 2015. Instead the scheme will revert back to allowing local authorities to set aside 7.5% of their Restoration Improvement (RI) and Restoration Maintenance (RM) grants for CIS schemes if they so wish. 

The Local Improvement Scheme is already in place. The purpose of the Local Improvement Scheme is to provide funding for roads and laneways that Councils have not taken in charge; that is, private roads and laneways. However, the maintenance and improvement of these is, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant landowner.

At present, local authorities may use up to 15% of their initial Discretionary Grant towards Local Improvement Schemes should they wish to do so. The local contribution for these schemes is 20% of the total cost of the project. Furthermore, it is open to local authorities to supplement the percentage of their Discretionary Grant that they can use for the LIS with their own resources. 

Some local authorities want a ring-fenced LIS allocation for private roads while others prefer to put the funding into public roads. I think this decision is best made at a local level.

Local authorities were notified of the above in Circular RW 2/2015 which my Department issued on 3 February 2015.  Details of the 2015 regional and local road grant allocations to each county council (including Clare County Council) are available in the Dáil library.