Carlow to receive €700,000 for rural road improvements
Photo for illustrative purposes only
CARLOW Co Council has been allocated over €700,000 in total to upgrade rural roads and laneways across the county, following minister Dara Calleary’s announcement of additional funding for the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS). The county will receive a total of €702,016 for 2025, comprising the original allocation of €373,479 plus a supplementary allocation of €328,537.
The supplementary funding represents an 88% increase on Carlow’s original allocation and forms part of a nationwide €14 million boost to the scheme, bringing total national investment to a record €30 million for the year.
Minister for rural and community development and the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary said the investment would improve access to rural homes, farms and outdoor amenities, including lakes, rivers, mountains and beaches.
“I am delighted to have secured a further €14 million for the scheme, which almost doubles our investment this year,” minister Calleary stated. “This additional funding demonstrates my commitment to improving connectivity for rural residents – whether it be access to homes, farms or outdoor amenities.”
The Local Improvement Scheme supports the upgrade of non-public roads in rural communities – roads that are not normally maintained by local authorities but represent vital infrastructure for rural residents. Under the scheme, Carlow Co Council will be responsible for identifying and prioritising roads for improvement works in consultation with residents and landowners. All works must be completed before the end of the year.
Since the LIS scheme was reintroduced in 2017, over 20,000 landowners and rural residents nationwide have benefited, with more than 4,800 roads upgraded. The scheme has seen almost €170 million invested to date, with this year’s additional funding bringing the total investment to approximately €184 million.
Roads eligible for improvement under the scheme include non-public roads providing access to land parcels owned by different persons where at least one is used for agricultural purposes and roads leading to community amenities such as graveyards, beaches, piers and mountains.
The scheme excludes roads serving only residential properties where occupants are not engaged in agriculture and roads leading to commercial enterprises.
Neighbouring Kilkenny will receive €816,562 in total funding for 2025, comprising €552,025 in original allocation plus €264,537 in supplementary funding.
