Westmeath receives almost €1m for rural roads under LIS

Westmeath has been allocated €961,675 in funding to upgrade rural roads and lanes as part of the 2025 Local Improvement Scheme (LIS), Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, TD, announced last Thursday.

The total for Westmeath includes an original allocation of €498,238, and an additional €463,437 now confirmed following a second tranche of national funding unveiled last week.

The Local Improvement Scheme is designed to support the repair and improvement of non-public rural roads, particularly those providing access to homes, farms, and outdoor amenities such as lakes and forests. These roads are not maintained by local authorities but are vital infrastructure for rural communities.

The announcement marks a €30 million investment in the scheme for 2025 nationally, including an extra €14 million now distributed to local authorities. It takes the total national investment since the scheme was reintroduced in 2017 to nearly €184 million.

“This funding boost shows a strong commitment to improving rural connectivity,” said Minister Calleary. “I know how important these routes are for daily life in rural counties like Westmeath.”

Welcoming the announcement, Minister Robert Troy, TD, praised the significant uplift in Westmeath’s allocation:

“I am very much aware of the need to support this scheme and the demand that is apparent across our local authorities. In Westmeath, I am particularly aware of the impact which this additional allocation will have, as there are a large number of validated applications on hand which are queued for funding,” he said.

“The additional €464,000 almost doubles Westmeath’s original 2025 allocation and will help us make real progress in addressing the local backlog.”

Westmeath County Council, like all local authorities, is responsible for identifying eligible roads and ensuring upgrade works are completed before the end of the year, in consultation with local residents and landowners.

Eligible roads include those providing access to multiple landholdings, particularly for agricultural use, or leading to community amenities. Roads serving only residential or commercial buildings not involved in agriculture are not eligible under the scheme.

Local representatives and community groups in Westmeath have consistently called for increased investment to address the long-standing backlog of works on rural roads. This latest allocation is expected to deliver meaningful improvements across the county.

“With this additional funding under the Local Improvement Scheme this year, we will have invested almost €184 million in upgrading rural roads and laneways across the country since 2017,” Minister Troy added.