Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1731. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the position regarding the local improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37908/17]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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1739. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the timeframe for implementing the newly announced local improvement scheme; the timeframe for grant approvals; the date for works completion by the local authority; the national budget for the LIS programme for 2017; the ratio mechanism for dividing the budget by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38339/17]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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1740. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will extend the 14 September 2017 deadline for submission of potential projects for funding under the new LIS scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38344/17]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1731, 1739 and 1740 together.

I am currently in the process of examining the possibility of introducing a Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) in 2017 to support the maintenance and improvement of non-public roads and laneways, many of which are in rural areas.  In this regard, my Department wrote to relevant Local Authorities recently to establish the level of demand for such a scheme and the capacity of the Local Authorities to complete works under a scheme by the end of this year.

Local Authorities were asked to provide information to my Department by 14 September to assist me in making an informed decision regarding the potential impact and feasibility of introducing an LIS, and subject to the necessary funding being available. It is not possible to extend this deadline if decisions are to be made around the possibility of introducing a scheme this year and making funding available quickly from the 2017 funding envelope.

I will consider the issue of the level of funding and disbursement arrangements in full on receipt of the information requested from the Local Authorities.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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1732. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason a short timeframe was given to local authorities to assess the level of demand for the local improvement scheme (details supplied); if he has given consideration to extending the timeframe for same in view of the fact that demand will have risen significantly and therefore persons and local representatives will need sufficient time to process applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37965/17]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I am currently in the process of examining the possibility of introducing a Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) in 2017 to support the maintenance and improvement of non-public roads and laneways, many of which are in rural areas.  In this regard, my Department wrote to relevant Local Authorities recently to establish the level of demand for such a scheme and the capacity of the Local Authorities to complete works under a scheme by the end of this year.

Local Authorities were asked to provide information to my Department by 14 September to assist me in making an informed decision regarding the potential impact and feasibility of introducing an LIS, and subject to the necessary funding being available. It is not possible to extend this deadline if decisions are to be made around the possibility of introducing a scheme this year and making funding available quickly from the 2017 funding envelope.

I will consider the issue of the level of funding and disbursement arrangements in full on receipt of the information requested from the Local Authorities.