Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 January 2026
135. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Transport if he will approve an urgent increase in funding for the community involvement scheme for Leitrim County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1457/26]
View answerThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on these roads are funded from Councils’ own resources and supplemented by State Road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is a matter for the local authority.
As the Deputy is aware the Programme for Government commits to providing additional funding for the Local Improvement Scheme and the Community Involvement Scheme.
In 2018, the Department introduced ring-fenced funding for Community Involvement Schemes (CIS). The purpose of the CIS is to facilitate local community participation in the repair of local roads. The focus of the programme is on the repair of more lightly trafficked public roads which might not be high on the list of a local authority's annual roadwork programme. Under the scheme a local community can contribute in money or in kind, for example by making labour or machinery available.
While community contributions in the range 15% to 30% had been required up to 2021, depending on the mix between works and monies, the contribution rates were reduced to a minimum of 10% for monetary contributions and 20% for works contribution. This is more in line with Local Improvement Scheme contribution rates.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that from 2026 the contribution rate for monetary contributions has been reduced to a minimum of 8%, with the contribution rate remaining at 20% for works contribution.
In 2025, Leitrim County Council received an allocation of €375,650 for Community Involvement Schemes.
In order to allow for sufficient planning and applications for this scheme, local authorities are invited to apply for funding for CIS projects for a two-year programme, with the latest round of applications received in late 2025 for the 2026/2027 period.
Grant allocations for 2026, including those for CIS, will be notified to local authorities in the coming weeks.
