Our Rural Future: Minister Humphreys announces
record €40 million LIS allocation to upgrade rural laneways
- Essential funding to improve road access to homes and farms in rural areas
- Highest ever allocation for the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS)
- Ring-fenced funding to upgrade eligible roads on our offshore islands
- Only one herd number now required for a valid application
The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has today announced a record funding allocation of €40 million for repairs and improvement works on non-public rural roads and laneways under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS).
This investment demonstrates the continued commitment of the Minister to vital road infrastructure in rural Ireland, providing access to people’s homes and farms.
This announcement brings to a total of almost €170 million that has been allocated to local authorities under the Scheme since it was re-introduced in 2017. The allocation of funds is for works to be carried out across 2024 and 2025 on roads not normally maintained by the local authorities
Speaking as she announced the allocation today, Minister Humphreys said:
“I am delighted to announce record funding of €40 million for the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS), which will improve hundreds of rural roads and laneways across the country.
“LIS is a critical source of funding for small non-public roads not normally maintained by local authorities.
“It’s a fantastic scheme under which the homeowners and farmers who use the lane make a small local contribution and the Government provides the balance of funding to ensure that people can access their homes and farms on good quality surfaces.
Minister Humphreys continued:
“I am also amending the LIS criteria so that only one herd number will be required for a valid LIS application. Up to now, two herd numbers were required to be using the lane. I am making this change in response to feedback I have received from local representatives and it will ensure that more families can now qualify for the scheme.
“I am also aware that Local Authorities need to carry out LIS works when weather conditions are favorable. In recognition of this and in order to help local authorities better plan their work programmes, I am providing greater flexibility so that Local Authorities can use their allocation throughout 2024 and 2025.
Local Improvement Scheme (LIS)
The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) was reintroduced in September 2017 and over €130 million has already been provided for works on over 4,000 roads. The additional funding announced today will bring that total to over €170 million.
Updated 2024
Eligible Road projects
Eligible road projects are those that involve the construction or improvement of non- public roads which provide access:
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to parcels of land, of which, two or more are owned or occupied by different persons, one of which must be engaged in separate agricultural activities; or
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for harvesting purposes (including turf or seaweed) for two or more persons; or
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to at least one parcel of land owned or occupied by a person engaged in agricultural activities AND which separately provides access for harvesting purposes (including turf or seaweed) for at least one other person.
In addition, works can also be carried out on Amenity Roads. Amenity Roads are non- public roads leading to important community amenities such as graveyards, beaches, piers, mountain access points or other tourist/heritage sites. The requirement for agricultural activity/BPS numbers shall not apply to applicants in the case of roads coming within the scope of the Amenity Roads provision.
Applicants should provide current (within the current or previous year) documentation to verify that they are engaged in agricultural activities on the parcel of land accessed by the road project e.g. a herd/flock number and a copy of the maps associated with their Basic Payment Scheme application provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, or equivalent documentation. The onus shall be on individual applicants to submit the required documentation in support of their eligibility.
The Department recommends that a parcel of land is at least 1 hectare in size. Where the occupier of the land is not the registered owner, the occupier should provide a copy of the lease agreement in place for the land in question together with confirmation of the consent of the registered owner (or beneficial owner in the event that the registered owner is deceased).
Non-eligible road projects
The following road projects are not eligible for funding under the Scheme:
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A road serving only houses or buildings occupied or used by persons not engaged in agriculture, save for those non-public roads that in the opinion of the local authority are necessary for use by the public.
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A road serving only Local Authority properties.
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A road leading to bogs developed commercially for large scale turf production.
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Projects involving drainage works only.
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A road leading to commercial enterprises.
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A road involving minor works which is within the competence of the applicants to do themselves.
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A road which, because of its small size, would involve work which the local authority would consider as being uneconomic to carry out. The Department recommends that a parcel of land is at least 1 hectare in size.