€884,000 in funding for Local Improvement Schemes

Minister Joe McHugh at the completed section of the N56 at Kilkenny (Gweebarra).

DONEGAL TD and Government Minister Joe McHugh has announced €884,000 in funding has been secured for Local Improvement Schemes for the County.

The funding will allow for the repair and improvement of small roads and laneways leading to local people’s homes and businesses that are not under the normal maintenance of the Local Authorities.

The scheme will also support improvements in private roads that lead to public amenities such as beaches and lakes and will see 4,841 square kilometres of road improvements in Donegal.

Government Chief Whip McHugh said: “I am delighted to announce that €884,000 funding has been secured for Local Improvement Schemes here in Donegal.

“I have been in constant communication with my Ministerial colleagues on the importance of the Local Improvement Scheme for people who live in rural Ireland.

“The Government hasn’t been in a position to adequately fund the LIS scheme for the last number of years, but we made a commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government that we would reinstate the scheme.

“I am delighted to now be in a positon to honour that commitment. The scheme will be funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and will be delivered through Donegal County Council.

“For people who live in rural areas like Donegal road connectivity is hugely important.

“The ability of people to access their own premises, a farmyard or a neighbour’s house is compromised when roads are in a bad state of repair. For emergency services, too, bad road surfaces can lead to delays in accessing sites and can damage their vehicles.

“An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar along with Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring have announced the Government is providing a total of €10 million to fund this scheme across the country. I want to thank the Taoiseach and Minister Ring for the allocation being made to Donegal.

“This will be combined with a small contribution from householders (10-15% of total costs) and Local Authorities, and will allow for the maintenance and improvement of many local roads all over Ireland.

“The re-introduction of the LIS is an important part of the delivery of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development. One of the Pillars of the Action Plan focuses on improving rural infrastructure and connectivity.

“The Government’s vision for rural Ireland is very simple when it comes down to it – We want rural Ireland to be a better place in which to live and work by creating new opportunities, improving connectivity between rural and urban areas, and by protecting and enhancing services in the community.

“We want to offer the opportunity for young people to have access to good-quality jobs so that they can continue to live in rural Ireland if they so choose. And the Action Plan for Rural Development provides the framework to achieve this.”

· The Local Improvement Scheme will be funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and will be delivered through the Local Authorities.

· Donegal County Council submitted a funding request of €1,000,000. The Government has committed today to €884,000 – more than 88 per cent of the funding requested.

· In terms of funding being provided, Donegal received the third highest, behind Galway (€1,000,000 funding against a request for €1,300,000) and Cork (€942,000 against a request for €1.1M)

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