4283. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the total funding allocated to each local authority under the local improvement scheme; the total amount expended; the total amount returned unspent to the Department; and the number of roads approved and completed, in each year from 2020 to 2026 to date, in tabular form,. [58126/26]

The Local Improvement Scheme funds the upgrade of non-public rural roads and laneways, which are not usually maintained by local authorities. My Department reinstated the Scheme in 2017, and it currently serves as a central element of the overall Rural Development Investment Programme. The LIS scheme remains highly popular nationwide. Since 2017, over €200 million has been allocated to local authorities, resulting in the improvement of over 5,500 roads being under this program.

I was pleased to launch the 2026 Local Improvement Scheme in February, supported by increased base funding of €17.55 million of which Waterford County Council was allocated almost €507,000.

Between 2020 and 2026, over €153 million has been allocated in LIS funding to 25 eligible local authorities. Figures on spend and roads completed for 2026 will not be available until all works have been completed and funding is drawn down at year end.

The following tables outline in detail the information requested by the Deputy on allocation, spend, roads completed and unspent funds during the period 2020 - 2025 by county. It should be noted that funding is drawn down by local authorities before year end, when works are completed and any unspent funds are not paid out. Where savings emerged towards year end due to underspend in some local authorities, some of this funding was redistributed to counties who demonstrated capacity to incur additional expenditure before year end. I have also provided a table outlining the 2026 allocations.

My officials will closely monitor scheme spending this year to ensure that funding is fully utilised and that as many road improvements as possible are completed under the scheme this year. I will also seek to ensure, through the annual budgetary process, that this important scheme remains well funded in the years to come.

Table 1. LIS 2020 – 2025 Roads Improved by County per year

Note: Each Local Authority submits lists outlining the proposed priority and secondary road projects as part of the annual application process under LIS. The Department does not maintain reporting on the numbers of roads included in these lists. Reporting is maintained on the numbers of roads improved each year through the scheme.

Table 2. LIS 2020 – 2025 Total Funding

*Note, a minus underspend figure indicates that the local authority in question fully spent its full allocation and then benefited from a transfer of funds to it at year end using unspent funds from another local authority.

Table 3. LIS 2026 Allocations by County

LIS 2020