Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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2765. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if additional funding has been allocated for the local improvement scheme in Donegal in 2025; the number of outstanding local improvement scheme roads in Donegal; if he will review the local improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46580/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Local Improvement Scheme or LIS is a key support to rural communities in improving non-public rural roads and laneways that are not typically maintained by local authorities.

The scheme is administered at local level by each local authority. As part of this process, local authorities are required to submit the numbers of roads awaiting repair under LIS in their areas as at that point in time. Based on the information made available to my Department by Donegal County Council, it is estimated that to Council may have on hand c. 1,500 LIS applications.

Given the ongoing strong demand for funding under the Scheme, I was pleased to recently announce an additional €14 million in LIS funding nationally, which brings the total LIS 2025 allocation to €30 million - a record investment in the Scheme. An additional €1.27 million was allocated to Donegal County Council, which more than doubles its 2025 funding to almost €2.4 million. This represents the highest allocation to any county nationally.

In the weeks since I made this funding increase available my officials have been engaging with all local authorities who are in the process of preparing their lists of roads which will see works undertaken as a result of the funding provided.

The terms of the Scheme are reviewed annually to ensure that it continues to delivers significant benefits across rural Ireland. Department officials will begin this process ahead of any launch of the 2026 Local Improvement Scheme.

Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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2766. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will re-establish the Scéim na mBóithre Áise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46583/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the Programme for Government has made a commitment to restoring Scéim na mBóithre Áise in Gaeltacht areas. However, no mechanism has been put in place for this as of yet. The re-establishment of the scheme will, of course, depend on funding and resources being made available through the Estimates Process for this purpose and this is currently at the discussion stages.

In the meantime, funding has been and will continue to be available under the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht's Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) to assist local authorities in carrying out improvement work on non-public roads and roads that are not normally maintained as public routes. I understand that the roads in question must be going to dwellings, farmland or scenic amenities such as lakes, rivers or beaches.

Further information on this scheme is available on the Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/service/b03384-local-improvement-scheme-lis/.