A fund which provides money to people seeking to improve non-public roads, including roads to farms and agricultural holdings, has been doubled to €21m.

Minister for rural and community development Heather Humphreys announced the additional funding under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS).

It provides support for the improvement of non-public roads in rural communities and improves access to rural homes, farms and outdoor amenities, such as lakes and mountains.

“'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,” the minister said.

“So I was delighted to secure a further €10.5m for the scheme, which doubles our investment under the scheme this year to €21m – 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.”