'Local connectivity vital' as Longford receives €351,880 LIS funding for repairs of rural roads and laneways

Longford has been allocated funding of €351,880 for repairs and improvement works on rural roads and laneways.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD on Tuesday announced a nationwide package of €11 million under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS), to support the continued improvement of non-public roads and lanes that are not normally maintained by the local authorities.

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Such roads represent a vital piece of infrastructure for rural residents - providing access to people’s homes and farms, as well as outdoor amenities such as lakes, rivers or beaches.

Minister Humphreys said: “I would urge each local authority to utilise the funding announced and complete the repair works on the selected roads as soon as possible."

Senator Micheàl Carrigy welcomed the announcement from Minister Heather Humphreys of €351,880 in funding towards the Local Improvement Scheme.

He said, “The LIS is a lifeline for many rural families who live on roadways which are not on the Public Roads Programme.”

Minister Humphreys added, “I’m pleased to announce €11 million in funding which will improve hundreds of our rural roads and laneways across the country.

“Local connectivity is vital for rural communities. Our Rural Future clearly recognises this. The Local Improvement Scheme is an important source of funding for small non-public roads and laneways leading to homes and farms or to amenities such as lakes, rivers and beaches.

“Since the scheme was reintroduced in 2017, over, 3,000 roads have been funded for repair works. This has made a real difference to the lives of over 13,000 landowners and residents in rural Ireland.

“I acknowledge that strong demand for this funding remains across the country. In some counties, local authorities have significant levels of applications on hand. My priority is to continue to fund the works on roads leading to agricultural holdings given their importance for farm families and our agriculture sector.”