Seventy-seven Mayo roads to receive LIS funding

Anton McNulty

A list of roads that have been allocated funding under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) was revealed yesterday (Monday) by the Department of Rural and Community Development.
In total, Mayo County Council was allocated €855,000 for the maintenance of private and local roads not taken in charge by the local authority.
Mayo County Council’s allocation is the fourth largest given to any local authority. Cork County Council received €1 million, Galway County Council got €942,000 and Donegal County Council was allocated €884,000.
Receiving almost €50,000, 1.3km of roadway in Ballinafad near Belcarra accounts for the largest single LIS allocation in Mayo. The next largest allocation was €31,078 for a 900m stretch of road in Rosturk, Mulranny. The full list is available for viewing on the Department of Rural and Community Development website.
Welcoming the details submitted to his department, Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring said the improvements to the 77 roads in Mayo will make a huge difference to the people who use those roads multiple times each day.
“This scheme is a lifeline for people living in rural areas because it directly improves their access to and from their homes and farms. Many people living and working in rural areas use these roads every time they enter or leave their home or farm, so the condition of their access road really impacts on them. Investing in the improvement of these roads really makes a positive impact on people’s quality of life in rural areas,” he said.
Councillors unhappy
At the recent monthly meeting of the West Mayo Municipal District, some councillors criticised a circular issued by Minister Ring’s department which means that councillors no longer have an individual allocation to spend and instead council engineers choose which roads will be improved.
After an absence of seven years, the LIS scheme was reintroduced last year when responsibility was transferred from the Department of Transport to the Department of Rural and Community Development headed by Minister Michael Ring.
Last year, 89 roads in Mayo were improved under the scheme.