A further €16m in funding for repairs and improvement works on rural roads and farm laneways has been announced by Government.

Almost €30m in funding has been invested under the Local Improvement Scheme this year, which is double what was announced in 2022.

This funding will support the improvement of non-public roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities.

These include rural roads and laneways which are required for accessing farms and farm dwellings.

Contribution

For eligible roads with up to and including five households or landowners, the financial contribution that must be paid is set at 10% of the estimated cost.

It is set at 15% for those roads with six or more households or landowners.

The maximum amount that any household or landowner is required to contribute is capped at €1,200.

Making the announcement, Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys said that this investment will mean "better access for farming families" on "hundreds of roads” across towns and villages across rural Ireland.

“Good roads are absolutely vital for our rural communities and this record investment under the Local Improvement Scheme will make a huge difference in terms of access and connectivity.

“We are all familiar with the roads and laneways within our own communities that are full of potholes and in desperate need of repair.

Benefiting farmers

“The funding being delivered under this scheme will help address this, benefiting so many of our families, businesses and, in particular, our farmers,” she said.

Since the scheme's re-introduction in 2017, over €130m has been invested in communities across rural Ireland.

Almost 4,000 roads have been funded for repair works during this time.

This investment is part of Government’s commitment to supporting rural communities through its five-year rural development strategy, ‘Our Rural Future’.

“Since the Local Improvement Scheme was re-introduced in 2017. This has made a real difference to the lives of over 16,000 landowners and residents in rural Ireland, and many more visitors.

“I acknowledge that there is strong demand for this funding in many parts of the country, with some local authorities having significant levels of applications on hand.

“And so I am strongly encouraging these councils to utilise the funding announced today and complete the repair works on the selected roads as soon as possible in consultation with residents and landowners,” she said.

County breakdown

Cork has received the largest cut of the funding at almost €1.7m. Cavan is next and received €1,4m, Tipperary received €1.1m, while Monaghan and Donegal both received just over €1m.

Roscommon received the least amount of funding at just €70,000.

Counties Limerick, Mayo, Kerry, Galway, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Laois, Waterford, Clare, Limerick, Wexford, Meath, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Offaly, Sligo, Westmeath and Carlow all received between €100,000 and €900,000.

Kildare County Council did not apply for funding under this particular tranche.