Wexford's Minister of State Paul Kehoe TD has welcomed details of a new pilot Community Involvement Scheme for works on local roads which will see €398,8130 allocated to County Wexford through the Community Involvement Scheme (CIS) announced.

Minister Kehoe said: "I am delighted that this funding over two years the maintenance and improvement of Wexford's local roads network. This represents a new and innovative reform of our road maintenance system and work with a total value of over €14 million can now be carried out at a cost to the taxpayer of €10.6 million with the balance being contributed by the local community.

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"In the normal course of Wexford County Council's road works programme, repairs to minor county roads would only be considered towards the end of the programme after more heavily trafficked routes had been dealt with and the purpose of this pilot community involvement scheme is to permit local participation in the repair of roads.

"In this way, if there are particular problems affecting a given stretch of road and if the local community are willing to assist the local authority (in money or kind) with the necessary works, then such roads can be improved sooner than would otherwise be the case. As such, the scheme recognises local community involvement in this area, without in any way taking from the statutory responsibilities of county councils."

(CD/MH)