Over €900k for local laneway repairs

LIS provides upgrading for rural laneways and non-public roads which provide access to homes, farms and outdoor amenities.

Over €2.2 million has been allocated to Cavan and Monaghan County Councils for repairs and upgrades to rural laneways and non-public roads.

The further allocations include €902,317 to Cavan County Council and €581,009 to Monaghan County Council in respect of the Local Improvement Scheme for 2022.

The funding is being provided through the Department of Rural and Community Development as part of Our Rural Future, the Government’s policy for rural development.

Announcing the funding from her department Minister Heather Humphreys referenced the recent Census, which showed that the population of rural Ireland is growing.

“I want to see more people living, working and raising a family in our rural communities throughout the country.

“The Local Improvement Scheme is about making life a little bit easier for those rural families who live on a laneway or non-public road. The scheme provides substantial grant aid for the upgrade of these routes and assists homeowners with the costs. In many cases where there are multiple homes on a lane, neighbours will work together to draw down funding under the scheme,” said the Minister.

The Department of Rural and Community Development has provided over €100 million nationally under the Local Improvement Scheme over the past five years.

Some €370,000 was allocated to Cavan County Council for LIS repairs back in April this year, where there are close to 250 outstanding applications currently on the council’s books. It was then estimated that over €11 million is needed to complete works on all laneways on the LIS waiting list in Cavan.

Cavan received over €1.1 million under the scheme last year in what was the county’s highest ever allocation.

It saw works carried out on 23 laneways in 2021. Applicants cannot reapply to the scheme for a period of 10-15 years after their lane has been resurfaced.

A sum of €351,880 had been granted in April to neighbouring Monaghan County Council.

The focus of the Local Improvement Scheme is on upgrading rural laneways and non-public roads, which provide access to homes, farms and outdoor amenities.

The funding provided by the Department of Rural and Community Development will be complemented by a local financial contribution from landowners/householders. There is a ceiling of €1,200 on the amount that any individual householder or landowner will be asked to contribute towards the cost.

“These further allocations will enable the councils to carry out essential improvement works to laneways, many of which have been on waiting lists for a long time,” said Deputy Brendan Smith.

The Fianna Fail Oireachtas representative noted that the scheme is of “particular importance” to rural communities.

“I had highlighted in many Dáil debates the need to increase significantly funding for this particular scheme, which is necessary to bring laneways and some roads up to a standard so that people and householders have proper access to their homes,” stated Deputy Smith.

The funding allocation was also welcomed by his party colleague Deputy Niamh Smyth.

Fianna Fáil Councillor, John Paul Feeley has joined the welcome for the allocations but says more is needed.

“Given that there are almost 200 applications still on hand, the allocation will only complete around 20 roads before the end of this year and this is, unfortunately, inadequate.

“It is only when allocations are made and precise costing prepared that we can be certain as to how many roads will be done, but given the lack of contractors able to take on the work and the increased cost of materials this allocation will not have the dramatic effect on the list we would all like to see. Costs to complete roads can vary from €30,000 to €200,000 depending on the length and condition of the specific roads in question,” said the Cathaoirleach.

He estimates that the 2022 allocation will, subject to the roads continuing to meet the qualifying criteria, allow the Council to deal with applications received in 2015 and early 2016.

“Sadly, we are dealing with a backlog created as a result of the failure of Fine Gael to make any provision for the Local Improvement Scheme from 2012 onwards until 2021 and thereafter the allocations have simply been too small to make any headway.

“Thankfully, under the current Government, allocations have almost doubled, however the allocations should be made at the start of the year to maximise what Council can do with the money provided,” he concluded.