€457k to upgrade rural roads and lanes
Meath has been allocated an additional €457,543 for rural roads and laneways, bringing the total allocation for this year to €803,937.
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys last week announced the county breakdown of a further €10.5 million investment in rural roads and laneways.
The allocation represents a doubling of the budget under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) – bringing the overall annual spend to a record €21 million.
The Local Improvement Scheme is designed to support the continued improvement of non-public roads in rural communities and improves access to rural homes and farms, as well as outdoor amenities such as our lakes, rivers, mountains and beaches.
These roads and laneways are not normally maintained by locally authorities but, nonetheless, represent a vital piece of infrastructure for rural residents.
The share of the additional funding that is being allocated to each county under this second round comes following engagement between the Department of Rural and Community Development and local authorities.
Cllr Paul McCabe welcomed the news of a further €457,543 towards the LIS in Meath.
"The LIS is hugely beneficial to rural communities across county Meath. In the past four years Meath County Council have managed to carry out over 60 improvement schemes on rural country lanes and cul de sacs.
"There is often a misconception regarding whom it benefits. In many instances, it is not two family homes located along the road or laneway but, rather, up to a dozen houses and farms.
"This further tranche of critical funding will enable the Council to carry out more improvement schemes on our rural lanes, making life that little bit easier for those that live and work on those lanes. These people pay their road tax and it's only right and proper that they should be afforded the same as everyone else.
"Rural regeneration involves encouraging people to live in rural communities. One of the basic requirements of that is ensuring people have an adequate road to their home or place of work. The LIS is a great investment in our rural communities,” he concluded.