There is a commitment in the programme for Government to reinstate a fully funded local improvement scheme in order to support the maintenance of non-local authority roads. These roads are the last couple of hundred metres of the rural road network and provide shared access for multiple houses. Despite those households paying the same road and property taxes and planning and development charges, no maintenance is carried out on these rural roads.

Last week when the roads funding was announced for all the local authorities across the country, no allocation was approved for the local improvement scheme. In the same week the Government announced the plan for rural Ireland yet there is no money for rural roads. Will an additional allocation of funding be made available for rural roads? Where do rural householders stand this year in terms of the roads?

Traditionally, councils used to make an allocation from the general allocation they received from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, as it used to be known. It is a matter that can be considered in part by the review of the capital programme in respect of what allocation may be made for roads to the Departments of Transport, Tourism and Sport and Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. Councils have always chosen to make allocations from their Vote for local improvement scheme roads or as Deputy Moynihan called them, non-statutory roads. That process will take its course.