Minister Seán Canney Welcomes €843,137 in Additional Funding for Rural Roads and Laneways in Galway

Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has welcomed an additional €843,137 in funding for Galway under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS), announced by Minister Dara Calleary.

The new funding forms part of a €14 million supplementary national allocation, which brings the total LIS investment for 2025 to over €30 million – the highest annual level since the scheme was reintroduced in 2017.

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.

Minister Canney said: “This is very welcome news for rural communities across Galway. These roads are vital for the people who use them every day – whether that’s getting to a family farm, reaching a home, or accessing a local lake or walking route.”

He added: “The scheme continues to deliver real impact on the ground, and I commend Galway County Council for their ongoing delivery. With this additional allocation, Galway’s total LIS funding for 2025 now stands at €2,116,616, ensuring that even more local laneways and roads can be improved this year.”

Under LIS, local authorities work in consultation with residents and landowners to prioritise eligible roads. The works must be completed before the end of the year.

Since its reintroduction in 2017, the scheme has funded the upgrade of over 4,800 rural roads, benefiting more than 20,000 landowners and residents nationwide.

Minister Canney conclude: “The Programme for Government commits to increasing the Government’s investment in our rural roads through the Local Improvement Scheme. With this additional allocation for 2025, almost €184 million will have been invested in upgrading rural roads and laneways across the country since the scheme was reintroduced in 2017.”