67. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the proposals to address the estimated 4,000 roads that remain outstanding under the local improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26586/25]

Sentiment score: 0.27

The local improvement scheme, LIS, is very important for rural communities and rural roadways. At this time, the Minister might be able to explain the Department's proposals on how it intends to address the estimated 4,000 roads that remain outstanding under the scheme. I would appreciate if the Minister explained it to us.

Sentiment score: 0.55

I thank the Minister very much. It is a very important scheme. It is a great scheme for anyone who qualifies. The problem, as I have said, is that 4,000 applications remain outstanding and have not qualified. For all the funds that have gone into it, they are not half enough of what needs to go into it. I have spoken to Deputy Danny Healy-Rae on this issue several times. It is a big issue in his area. It is also a big issue in west Cork. The problem is that the moneys coming into west Cork are not enough to go anywhere near what needs to be done. I know of people who have been waiting for seven or eight years. A politician said to me one time that it is not a form that should be filled out because people get very annoyed and frustrated at having to wait seven or eight years to get funding for the roadway to be done. When people fill in the form they expect that it could be done within a year or two, a reasonable amount of time. While the system is successful when people get it, they can be a long time waiting. Some people who fill in the form pass away before they even get to see the roadway being done.

Sentiment score: 0.07

I appreciate that and thank the Minister. We desperately need that extra funding in some areas. The Minister said that County Cork receives the third highest amount of funding. He will be aware that Cork is the biggest county in Ireland, so we are way down the ladder if that is the case. I am not trying to be critical. The Minister is doing his best to get additional funding and we appreciate that, because there is a desperate need. People should not be waiting six or seven years. I filled in forms for a gentleman in 2017. We have spent the time since then on the phone trying to make sure it gets across the line, perhaps once an month. Ellen in my office never gave up on it. It was only last week that he was told that his road will go ahead in a month's time, which is great and it is a success. However, there is frustration. I find that people are annoyed with the political system. When I knock on the door or talk to them, people say "you never got that road done for me". That is not the way it works. There is not enough funding going into County Cork, unfortunately, and the roads are not being done. We see that there are 4,000 to be done nationally so there is a massive amount of money to be got here for the local improvement scheme.

Sentiment score: 0.06