The local improvement scheme, LIS, which is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development is attempting to play catch-up after a ten-year spell in which there was absolutely no investment under the programme. Rural communities like my own in Cavan-Monaghan, particularly farming communities, are hugely dependent on the scheme. Cavan County Council has more than 220 application forms sitting on shelves since as far back as 2008. In Monaghan County Council there is an eight-year backlog. The Minister, Deputy Ring, has done a terrific job in reintroducing the scheme, but he needs the support of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in implementing it. The Minister in that Department, Deputy Ross, should be playing a more active role, together with the Department of Rural and Community Development, in investing in local authorities by way of the scheme. Otherwise, they will never catch up in dealing with a backlog that stretches back ten years in some cases.

The local improvement scheme should really be within the remit of another Department. However, I reintroduced it because I knew that there was a need for it. To date, I have put €48 million into it. Everybody has to play a part in ensuring the success of the programme, as I have been telling local authorities and their elected representatives as they draw up their budgets. Instead of charging my Department for administering the scheme, I am calling on the local authorities to use their discretionary funding and any other Department that has money to help to fund the LIS. I agree with the Deputy that it is a very important scheme, for which more funding is required. I have another €10 million in my budget for it next year. However, as of last month, a number of counties had not drawn down one penny of the money I allocated last February. I made the allocations in February because local authorities had previously complained that they were getting the moneys too late, yet we are now finding that the funding has not been drawn down. I hope the various roads projects will be completed by the end of the year. More funding is required for the scheme. Everybody has a role to play in that regard.