Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has welcomed the additional government funding for the Local Improvement Scheme for 2021.

Cavan County Council will receive a total allocation this year of €1,119,389 comprised of the initial allocation of €289,254 and this further allocation of €830,135.

Monaghan County Council was initially allocated €270,000 and are to receive an additional €1,056,223 making a total of €1,326,223 for 2021.

“Unfortunately there has been a big backlog in Local Improvement Scheme applications over the past number of years and indeed much additional funding is required to reduce substantially unacceptable waiting lists.

Through Parliamentary Questions in Dáil Éireann to the Minister for Rural and Community Development and to the Minister for Transport I have repeatedly called for a substantial investment in this particular road network.  These laneways serve large numbers of families, small businesses, family farms and community facilities and people using these roads deserve to have them brought up to a proper standard. The funding from the Department of Community and Rural Development is very welcome but I have consistently called for the Department of Transport to re-introduce the specific funding stream for the Local Improvement Scheme that existed up until 2012.  This Department, namely Transport, which has responsibility for roads should be providing adequate funding on an annual basis for laneways that come under the LIS”, stated Deputy Brendan Smith.

29/07/2021