Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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29. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when funding will be announced for the local improvement scheme; if additional funding will be provided to improve non-public rural roads and laneways in rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66415/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not usually maintained by local authorities. Since its establishment in 2017, the Government has provided almost €184 million to local authorities for the LIS. This funding has resulted in improvement work on nearly 5,000 roads, benefiting over 23,000 landowners and residents in these rural areas.

LIS allocations to local authorities are made on a county basis. It is then at the discretion of each the Local Authority to select and prioritise roads for improvement under the scheme each year. On August 7th last, I was delighted to announce €14 million in additional funding for the 2025 scheme. This brings the total amount allocated the LIS in 2025 to €30 million.

The 2026 Scheme is expected to be launched early next year, and the provisions will be reviewed in advance to ensure it is managed as reasonably and efficiently as possible. This will allow local authorities to plan and manage their resources effectively. Details of the scheme, including county allocations, will be circulated to local authorities and published on the department's website.