LIS backlog for Leitrim roads shrinks slightly after review, but delays to last years

At the start of this year, 152 Leitrim roads were waiting on repairs under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS). 

Five have been completed so far, and engineers say just 11 more are likely to be tackled with the latest allocation.

LIS provides funding to help local authorities carry out improvement works on non-publicly maintained roads. Since 2017, Leitrim County Council has been allocated €750,000 for LIS, and 145 roads have been completed.

In August, €528,098 from the office of the Minister for Rural and Community Development was allocated to Leitrim County Council to help with the LIS backlog.

At September’s meeting of Leitrim County Council, Cllr Gary Prior asked how many more will be done with this allocation from August, and if the roads could be spread evenly across the three Municipal Districts.

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Engineer with Leitrim County Council Darragh O’Boyle explained that five were completed with the first allocation of funding and they are hoping to get 11 of the remaining list done.

A review of the LIS was completed last week and about 10 roads on the list were ineligible for works, so the total amount of roads on the LIS has dropped to 126.

He also explained that the roads aren’t evenly distributed but are completed chronologically. Mr O’Boyle further noted that they haven’t done a review of the 126 roads remaining on the list, so the list may shorten further if more roads are ineligible once they’re examined.

For now, applications for the LIS remain closed, to try to get through the backlog that is there. Cllr Maeve Reynolds queried when the LIS may open again, and she was told that it may reopen once the amount of roads on the list are in the 20s.

Cllr Paddy O’Rourke highlighted that the Community Involvement Scheme (CIS) is another problem. The CIS is where local communities contribute to the cost of public road repair and improvement works. “There are a number of people ready and willing to make contributions. We don’t seem to be going anywhere with them,” Cllr O’Rourke said.

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He highlighted that some families living in rural areas have to keep two cars because of where they live, and the condition of the roads is making them spend a lot of money, “putting an awful burden on them,” as the road condition is so bad for their cars, questioning if the Council can offer the people on this list any hope as only a couple are getting done in the Ballinamore Municipal District this year.

Mr O’Boyle explained an advantage with CIS is that they are evenly distributed between Municipal Districts, and roads will be maintained the best they can.