Latest Laois News: Funding announced for upgrade works on Laois rural roads and laneways

Funding announced for upgrade of Laois roads and laneways

Rural roads and laneways in Laois to get over €500,000 in 2021 for additional upgrade works

Our Rural Future:  Minister Humphreys announces County Allocations for additional upgrade works to rural roads and laneways

• Minister confirms distribution of additional €10.5 million funding announced as part of ‘Our Rural Future’

• Funding doubles the total budget under the Local Improvement Scheme this year to €21 million

• Investment to improve access to rural homes, farms and outdoor amenities

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has today announced the county breakdown of a further €10.5 million investment in our rural roads and laneways.

The allocation represents a doubling of the budget under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) – bringing the overall annual spend to a record €21 million.

The Local Improvement Scheme is designed to support the continued improvement of non-public roads in rural communities and improves access to rural homes and farms, as well as outdoor amenities such as our lakes, rivers, mountains and beaches.

These roads and laneways are not normally maintained by locally authorities but, nonetheless, represent a vital piece of infrastructure for rural residents.

The share of the additional funding that is being allocated to each county under this second round comes following engagement between the Department of Rural and Community Development and local authorities.

The county allocations are based on the level of works that each local authority indicated they could complete before the end of the year.

The higher the level of demand that could be met by a local authority before the end of the year, the higher the level of funding they have been allocated.  

The LIS scheme was re-introduced in 2017 and over 10,000 landowners and rural residents have benefitted to date.

The Minister made the announcement in County Clare as part the Our Rural Future Roadshow.

Minister Hackett welcomes further funding for Laois and Offaly under Our Rural Future Local Improvement Scheme, bringing the total allocation in phase 1 and 2 to over €1 million for the region:

“I am delighted to see further funding of €284,259 being allocated to Laois and €246,369 to Offaly in phase 2 of Our Rural Future’s Local Improvement Scheme. This allocation will allow for the sustained improvement of roads in rural communities and improves access to rural homes and farms. This fund will also go a long way in improving access to outdoor amenities such as our lakes, rivers, mountains, of which we have an abundance here in Laois and Offaly.”

Sean Fleming TD., Minister of State at the Department of Finance had this to say:

“This is excellent news for Laois and I am very pleased to see the Government’s investment and commitment to improving our rural roads through the Local Improvement Scheme.”

“I would like to commend the great work by Laois County Council on their successful application for funding and look forward to improvements work commencing in the coming months.”

Announcing the allocation to each County, Minister Humphreys said:

“’Our Rural Future’, the Government’s ambitious five year policy for Rural Ireland, commits to increasing the Government’s investment in our rural roads through the Local Improvement Scheme.

“So I was delighted to secure a further €10.5 million for the Scheme which doubles our investment under the scheme this year to €21 million – the highest annual allocation since the scheme was re-introduced.

“This additional funding demonstrates my commitment to improving connectivity for rural residents – whether it be access to homes, farms or outdoor amenities.”

Under LIS, local authorities are responsible for identifying and prioritising roads for improvement works under the scheme, in consultation with residents/landowners.

The works must be completed before the end of the year.

Details of the allocation to each County under this second Round and the total allocations under both Rounds of funding are set out below.

The Minister continued:

“I am very much aware of the need to tackle the backlog of eligible applications that exist within many of our local authorities.

“My Department over the coming months will work closely with local authorities to ensure that this funding is fully delivered this year so that rural residents can benefit.

“Increasing rural connectivity is a vital component of ‘Our Rural Future’. With this second round of funding under the Local Improvement Scheme this year, we will have invested €80 million in upgrading rural roads and laneways across the country since 2017.”

Revised 2021 County Allocations