The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, has opened the 2026 Local Improvement Scheme (LIS), allocating €17.55 million for the repair and upgrade of non-public rural roads and laneways.

The move underlines the Government's ongoing commitment to rural infrastructure, improving access to homes and farms across Ireland.

The announcement brings cumulative LIS funding for local authorities to over €201 million since the scheme was reintroduced in 2017. The 2026 allocation will fund works on roads that are not normally maintained by local authorities, with projects to be delivered this year.

Speaking as he confirmed the allocations, Minister Calleary said: "I am delighted to announce funding today of €17.55 million for the Local Improvement Scheme which is an increase of €2 million which I secured in Budget 2026. This includes over €500,000 ringfenced to be spent specifically on LIS eligible roads on our offshore islands.

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"This scheme will improve hundreds of rural roads and laneways across the country and is a vital source of funding for non-public roads not normally maintained by local authorities.

"It's a fantastic scheme under which the homeowners and farmers who use the lane make a small local contribution and the Government provides the balance of funding to ensure that people can continue to access their homes and farms on good quality surfaces."

Local authorities will identify and prioritise eligible roads for upgrade in consultation with residents and landowners. Of the €17.55 million package, €550,000 is reserved for works on eligible roads serving offshore island communities. Among the larger county allocations are Galway (€1,170,380 plus €250,000 in island funding, total €1,420,380), Cork (€1,206,620 plus €140,000, total €1,346,620), Mayo (€1,154,780 plus €50,000, total €1,204,780), Donegal (€1,134,690 plus €100,000, total €1,234,690), Kerry (€1,133,190) and Tipperary (€1,119,280). Smaller allocations include Kildare (€350,000), Louth (€372,890) and Carlow (€374,850). A full county-by-county breakdown is set out in the department's appendix.

Minister of State Buttimer added: "I am delighted to see the announcement of the 2026 Local Improvement Scheme today. As Minister for Rural Transport, I see the benefits provided to rural homeowners and farmers through this funding, through which local authorities carry out improvement works on rural lanes and non-public roads. I am particularly pleased to see the additional €2 million funding provided for the scheme this year."

Minister Calleary concluded: "I am aware that Local Authorities need to carry out LIS works when weather conditions are favourable and, in recognition of this, and to help local authorities better plan their work programmes, I am launching the scheme in February to ensure as many eligible roads as possible can be completed this year".