Additional €14 million announced to improve rural roads
The allocation represents a significant increase to the 2025 funding available under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS), bringing the overall investment to a record €30 million for the year.
The LIS is designed to support the improvement of non-public roads in rural communities and improve access to rural homes and farms, as well as outdoor amenities such as lakes, rivers, mountains and beaches.
These roads and laneways are not normally maintained by locally authorities. However they represent "a vital piece of infrastructure" for rural residents, according to the Department of Rural and Community Development.
The allocation of additional funding comes following engagement between the department and local authorities.
The county allocations are based on the level of works that each local authority indicated they could complete before the end of the year.
The LIS was reintroduced in 2017 and, to date, over 4,800 roads have been upgraded under the scheme.
Under the LIS, local authorities are responsible for identifying and prioritising roads for improvement works under the scheme, in consultation with residents and landowners. The works must be completed by the end of the year.
Commenting on the additional funding, Minister Calleary said: "The €30 million which I have made available to our local authorities this year represents the highest annual funding since the scheme was re-introduced.
"This additional funding demonstrates my commitment to improving connectivity for rural residents, whether it be homes, farms or outdoor amenities.
"I am very much aware of the need to support this scheme and the demand that is apparent across our local authorities. Over the coming months, my department officials will work closely with local authorities to ensure that this funding is fully delivered this year to improve our non-public roads and laneways," he added.
"The Programme for Government commits to increasing the government's investment in our local roads through the Local Improvement Scheme. With this additional funding...we will have invested almost €184 million in upgrading rural roads and laneways...since 2017," Minister Calleary said.
The additional funding, and total 2025 funding, for each county is outlined in the table below (Co. Dublin has not been allocated funding):
County Original allocation Additional allocation Total 2025 allocation Carlow €373,479 €328,537 €702,016 Cavan €519,476 €662,498 €1,181,974 Clare €869,901 €788,498 €1,658,399 Cork €1,163,479 €1,167,898 €2,331,377 Donegal €1,123,479 €1,268,698 €2,392,177 Galway €1,273,479 €843,137 €2,116,616 Kerry €1,023,479 €1,202,000 €2,225,479 Kildare €464,765 €102,097 €566,862 Kilkenny €552,025 €264,537 €816,562 Laois €470,536 €561,698 €1,032,234 Leitrim €373,479 €528,098 €901,577 Limerick €709,694 €700,298 €1,409,992 Longford €373,479 €370,996 €744,475 Louth €373,479 €364,298 €737,777 Mayo €1,073,479 €504,537 €1,578,016 Meath €548,771 €286,016 €834,787 Monaghan €373,479 €588,297 €961,776 Offaly €535,404 €515,497 €1,050,901 Roscommon €661,677 N/A €661,677 Sligo €507,776 €321,645 €829,421 Tipperary €1,023,479 €795,500 €1,818,979 Waterford €502,162 €535,098 €1,037,260 Westmeath €498,238 €463,437 €961,675 Wexford €619,900 €560,298 €1,180,198 Wicklow €541,406 €276,387 €817,793 Total €16,550,000 €14,000,000 €30,550,000
The additional funding has been welcomed by a number of TDs.
Fianna Fáil TD for Galway East Albert Dolan said: "These non-public roads and laneways might not always grab headlines, but they are absolutely essential for daily life in our countryside. They provide access to homes, farms, and vital outdoor amenities – from lakes to farmland and local heritage sites.
'I am particularly pleased to see that Co. Galway has secured over €2.1 million in total for 2025, which is a strong reflection of both the local demand and our ability to deliver these improvement works on the ground," Dolan said.
Meanwhile, independent Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae welcomed the additional €1.2 million funding for Co. Kerry.
"€1 million was already allocated last year for 2025, therefore a total of 2.2 million has now been allocated for local improvement schemes in Kerry. I am very glad of this announcement as I have fought hard to get this funding and this was one of our priorities on the formation of the government," Healy-Rae added.
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