Councillors to write to Minister regarding Local Improvement Scheme

The members of Granard Municipal District have agreed to write to Minister for Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands Heather Humpreys in the hope that changes might be made to the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS).

The decision came following a motion submitted by Cathaoirleach of Granard MD, Cllr Garry Murtagh at last week’s meeting.

“Altering farming measures in rural Ireland and, in particular, the resurgence of dairy farming means that farmers have to increase their holdings in order to be sustainable,” said Cllr Murtagh.

“They have to acquire large sways of land, thus leading to the demise of small farm holders, which in turn has a negative impact on LIS applications.

“Current legislation demands that ‘projects, which can provide access to parcels of land of which at least two are owned or occupied by different persons, engaged in separate agricultural activities’. Proof of two landowners must be provided,” he continued.

“So, where beneficiaries (house-holders on a private lane) are contributing to the LIS, they are not being considered as part of the qualifying criteria.

“I feel the rules regarding the LIS need to be adjusted to coincide with the evolving changes in rural Ireland.

“This scheme is a vital resource in the protection, support and preservation of an invaluable infrastructure that is the network of rural Ireland.”

Cllr Paraic Brady seconded Cllr Murtagh’s motion, saying that there are currently are “certain criteria that eliminate people for getting laneways done”.

“There has to be two farming practices on a lane and we’d have certain lanes where dairy farms might have gotten bigger and milk trucks are coming in,” he said.

Cllr PJ Reilly agreed and supported the motion “whole heartedly”.

“It needs to be expanded more,” he said.

“There could be ont landowner and three private houses on it and doesn’t qualify.”

Following the discussion, it was agreed that a letter would be written to Minister Humphreys.