Increase in 2025 LIS allocation

Westmeath enjoyed a significant increase in the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) budget in 2025. The Westmeath allocation for 2025 was €961,675, an increase on the previous year’s spend of €668,723. The total allocation for the previous two years was not fully used.

The LIS provides for the upgrade of non-public rural roads and laneways that are typically not maintained by local authorities. It was re-introduced by the Dept of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in 2017. Since then, almost €184 million has been allocated to local authorities for LIS.

The issue was raised in the Dáil shortly before Christmas by Kerry Sinn Féin TD, Pa Daly, to provide a breakdown of LIS funding, which was provided. In his reply Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, pointed out that while his department provides funding for the scheme, it is managed by local authorities, who are responsible for selecting and prioritising roads.

This includes handling applications, prioritising eligible roads, scheduling works, and maintaining waiting lists. Details of the funding allocated to each local authority from 2017 to 2025 were provided. They include details of LIS spend from 2017 to 2024. The expenditure figures for 2025 will be available in 2026.

From 2023, the funding provided includes ring-fenced funding allocations to five counties with inhabited offshore islands - Cork, Donegal, Galway, Mayo, and Sligo. Those counties received dedicated LIS funding for repair and upgrade works on eligible island roads, amounting to €776,000 in 2023 and €550,000 in 2024 and 2025. This allocation is included in the figures provided.

The Westmeath allocation for the previous two years was not fully drawn down. On 2023 €515,416 was allocated, but only €483,578 was spent, while in 2024 the allocation was €675,555, with €668,723 spent.