Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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457. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will make additional funding available in 2025 for additional roads in Donegal to be resurfaced on the local improvement scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23091/25]

Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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458. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will provide a list of the number of roads in each municipal district in Donegal waiting for the local improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23092/25]

Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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459. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will provide a list of all funding for Donegal to spend on the local improvement scheme in each municipal district in Donegal over the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23093/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 457, 458 and 459 together.

The Local Improvement Scheme is an important support for rural communities in 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 the Government to local authorities under the Scheme.

In April 2024, €40 million in funding was announced for LIS across all local authorities to cover 2024/2025. This figure includes its 2024/2025 allocation of €2.79 million to Donegal County Council. The following table provides detail of the LIS allocation for County Donegal for the past five years.

Table: Local Improvement Scheme allocation for County Donegal, 2020 - 2025.

While the Department provides funding for LIS, the scheme is administered by local authorities responsible for selecting and prioritising roads. Applications are received directly by local authorities, who engage with scheme beneficiaries. Rather than being allocated on a Municipal District basis, Scheme funding is allocated by my Department on a local authority basis and authorities themselves decide on allocations across their areas. The Deputy may wish to contact Donegal County Council for information about the operation of the scheme at the local municipal district level.

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 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, with the potential to utilise any savings that may arise elsewhere for schemes such as the LIS.