Written answers

Tuesday, 5 April 2022

Department of Rural and Community Development

Rural Schemes

Photo of Joe CareyJoe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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93. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will report on her discussions regarding a proposal put forward by this Deputy for a reformed and revamped local improvement scheme involving funding from her Department, the Department of Transport and local authorities; the investment proposed by both Departments; when the scheme will be launched and open for applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17917/22]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is funded into the future. The LIS supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. The scheme makes an important contribution to connectivity in rural Ireland.

The Scheme was reintroduced in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding. Since then, my Department has allocated €80 million towards improvement works on over 3,000 non-public roads and lanes. These works have benefited over 13,300 landowners and residents in these rural areas.

I launched the 2021 Scheme with an initial budget of €10.5 million and I allocated additional funding last year from savings within my Department's vote, effectively doubling investment to bring the total expended under the Scheme in 2021 to €21 million.

I was pleased, as part of Budget 2022, to announce an increase in the base funding for LIS from €10.5 million to €11 million this year. I announced details of the 2022 Local Improvement Scheme earlier today, including the allocations to each individual county.

I have also recently written again to my colleague, Minister Eamon Ryan, T.D., to explore whether funding may be available from the Department of Transport to support the scheme. I believe a cross-Government approach might reap dividends in dealing with the backlog of applications on hand and I will continue to keep all options open in this regard.

Photo of Aindrias MoynihanAindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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94. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of funding drawn down for local improvement schemes in County Cork for 2021; if all funding allocated to Cork County Council under the scheme for 2021 was drawn down; if not, if these moneys will be available to draw down as additional to the 2022 allocation to Cork County Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17926/22]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is funded into the future. The LIS supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. The scheme makes an important contribution to connectivity in rural Ireland.

I launched the 2021 scheme with an initial budget of €10.5 million. Cork was allocated €920,000, primarily based on the physical area of the County. This amount represented the maximum level of funding allocated to any individual county.

I sourced additional funding last year from savings within my Department's vote, effectively doubling investment to bring the total for 2021 to €21 million. This additional funding was allocated based on each local authority's view as to their capacity to deliver improvement works by year-end.

Cork County Council submitted a request for funding of €700,000 under this second tranche, which was over-subscribed. It was determined each county would be allocated just over 70% of the amount requested. As a result, Cork County Council was awarded €492,738 in this second tranche. Thus, last year the total allocation to Cork amounted to €1,412,738

Local authorities were advised that their 2022 allocation would be impacted by any shortfall in delivery of funding in 2021. The total funding utilised for the delivery of roads in Cork in 2021 was €1,315,172, leading to a shortfall of €97,566.

My Department permitted Cork County Council to drawdown €95,000 of this shortfall in 2021 and to carry it over to spend on roads in 2022. An equivalent amount was then deducted from their allocation in 2022.

I announced earlier today details of an €11 million allocation for LIS in 2022. The allocation for Cork in 2022, excluding the funding carried over from 2021, is €879,099.

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