Significant disappointment as Longford only local authority to miss out on funding
There is 'disappointment' that Longford County Council missed out on substantial funding recently when it was the only local authority in the country not to submit an application.
There has been scathing criticism of Longford County Council for not applying for funding this week with Longford Oireachtas members prominently giving their opinions.
A total of 138 applications were made by local authorities and the Land Development Agency (LDA) when the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund scheme opened in January for the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF).
The HIIF will provide €1 billion to local authorities up to 2030, aims to provide infrastructure needed to unlock zoned land for housing developments and about half of the 138 applications are expected to receive funding.
The scheme was launched by the Government and the initiative is designed to unlock serviced land and activate housing development across the country.
Longford TD Micheál Carrigy, the Chairperson of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, said he was dismayed that the local authority missed out on a notable funding opportunity.
"I'm disappointed that there was no application put forward.
"There was a significant amount of capital funding available."
Deputy Carrigy said the road project they were looking to secure funding for was related to the future development of Longford.
"It's a priority project to put in the road infrastructure plus additional infrastructure to open up lands within the bypass for the development of housing and other additional infrastructure projects that will be economically beneficial to our county town.
"We're linking in with various people as regards the potential development of a hotel and we want to have lands available for future economic activity as well following on the development of the N4."
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Deputy Carrigy said there is still a strong desire to see the project completed over the next few years.
"I've spoken with the Housing Activation Officer, I've spoken with the local authority in relation to putting in a multi-million euro application to create a link road.
"It's basically to open up the backlands between the industrial estate and the Ballinalee road back to the Battery Road
"If that was put in it would open up the likes of your Supermacs plaza and your hotel.”
Asked if there was similar schemes that could possibly be applied for, Deputy Carrigy said, "We have went back to Government to see what opportunities we will have.
"There will be another [funding] call on this.
"I've asked our activation office to give me an indicative time of maybe late-2026, early 2027 for all of our opportunities.
"My priority is to make sure I can get Government to support this infrastructure."
Longford County Council were contacted by the Longford Leader and asked if they wanted to make a comment, but they had not responded with a comment by the print deadline.
Longford Senator Joe Flaherty has described as “beyond embarrassing” the failure of Longford County Council to submit an application for funding from “one of the most significant funding schemes available to local authorities.”
The purpose of the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF), which will provide €1 billion to local authorities up to 2030, is to provide infrastructure needed to unlock zoned land for housing developments.
When asked for a response to Senator Flaherty’s comments, Longford County Council replied, “Longford County Council successfully secured funding to support plans for the development of strategic infrastructure in Longford Town from the Department of Transport.”
The council spokesperson continued, “This is an essential first stage of the development of an application for the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund. Both the Housing and Planning departments have been in ongoing dialogue since October 2025 with the Housing Activation Office on the development of this project. The project has the potential to activate zoned lands for the provision of approximately 1,000 houses.”
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