Fine Gael Kildare South TD and Minister Martin Heydon confirmed that €270,000 has been allocated for repairs and improvement works on non-public roads in rural communities in County Kildare, as part of the Government’s ‘Our Rural Future’ project.
In a recent announcement from the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, a total allocation of €10.5 million was confirmed for projects across the country. This represents a 5% increase compared to 2020, with every county receiving an increase.
The LIS was reintroduced in September 2017 and over €58 million has already been provided for works on close to 2,400 roads. The additional funding announced today will bring that total to over €68 million.
Minister Heydon said: “This is great news for local communities in County Kildare, as the funding announced under the Local Improvement Scheme will improve access to rural homes and farms, as well as outdoor amenities in our local communities. The focus of the scheme is to support the continued improvement of rural roads and laneways in County Kildare that are not normally maintained by local authorities, but which represent a vital piece of infrastructure for rural residents.”
Eligible roads under the Local Improvement Scheme are:
- non-public roads that provide access to parcels of agricultural land, or provide access for harvesting purposes including turf, for two or more persons.; or
- Non-public roads leading to important community amenities such as graveyards, lakes, or other items of local interest.
Minister Heydon went on to say “There is always a significant demand for funding under the Local Improvement Scheme however this additional funding is very much welcomed and I would urge Kildare County Council to utilize the current funding and to complete works on the selected roads as soon as possible.”