Extra €500,000 for rural roads in Mayo

THE Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, has today announced a further €14 million investment in rural roads and laneways across the country.

The announcement includes €504,437 for Mayo County Council, bringing the full allocation for Mayo to €1,578,016 for 2025.

The overall allocation represents a significant increase to the 2025 funding available under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) - bringing the overall investment to a record €30 million for the year.

LIS 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, however they represent a vital piece of infrastructure for rural residents.

The allocation of additional funding comes following engagement between the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and local authorities.

The county allocations are based on the level of works that each local authority indicated they could complete before the end of the year and represent the minister’s commitment to increasing funding for our rural roads.

The LIS scheme was re-introduced in 2017 and to date, over 20,000 landowners and rural residents have benefitted, with over 4,800 roads upgraded under the scheme.

Announcing the additional funding, Minister Calleary said: “I am delighted to have secured a further €14 million for the scheme, which almost doubles our investment this year. The investment includes over €500,000 for Mayo County Council.

“This additional funding demonstrates my commitment to improving connectivity for rural residents - whether it be access to homes, farms or outdoor amenities.”

Under LIS, local authorities are responsible for identifying and prioritising roads for improvement works under the scheme, in consultation with residents/landowners.

The works must be completed before the end of the year.

The Minister continued: “I am very much aware of the need to support this scheme and the demand that is apparent across our local authorities.

“Over the coming months, my department officials will work closely with local authorities to ensure that this funding is fully delivered this year to improve our non-public rural roads and laneway.”

Minister of State Alan Dillon said the investment is critical for many people in rural Mayo: “This is a big win for rural communities. From the farming families of Erris to the hills around Tourmakeady, the laneways in Glencorrib to the backroads of Bekan, these are the roads people live on, travel on, and rely on every day.

“Many of these roads aren’t maintained by the council, but they’re vital for access to homes, farms, and local amenities. Without schemes like LIS, it would be next to impossible for many residents to carry out the upgrades on their own.”

LIS, he added, plays a key role in keeping rural Mayo connected: “Rural infrastructure can’t be an afterthought. This scheme is about fairness making sure people living in remote or hard-to-reach areas aren’t left behind. Whether it’s getting kids to school, bringing home fuel in winter, or simply staying connected these roads matter.

“I’ve been pushing hard to ensure Mayo gets its fair share of funding, and I’m proud to see this additional half a million euro secured for our county.”