Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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609. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if it is intended to allocate funding to local authorities in 2025 under the local improvement scheme; if he has had any discussions with the Minister for Transport in relation to match funding support for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22253/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports improving non-public rural roads and laneways not usually maintained by local authorities. Since its establishment in 2017, almost €170 million has been provided by Government to local authorities for LIS and this includes funding allocations which have been provided to each local authority for the period 2024/2025.

I have engaged with my colleague, the Minister for Transport, with a view to any potential co-funding of the LIS. The Minister has confirmed that funding allocations for regional and local public roads have been completed for 2025 and any available funding in that Department will be utilised in supporting the maintenance and improvement of this regional and local public roads network.

The Programme for Government commits to the support of rural communities including a commitment to increase funding under the Local Improvement Scheme and I will be engaging in the upcoming review of the National Development Plan with a view to increasing the capital allocations for schemes such as LIS.

As has been the case in recent years, I will continue to monitor capital expenditure across my Department as the year progresses, to assess the potential to utilise any savings that may arise elsewhere for schemes such as the LIS.