merrion street

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD, this week announced that the Department proposes to continue the Community Involvement Scheme (CIS) in 2020 and 2021 and invited local authorities to apply to the Department for CIS funding for those years.

The Minister said:

When applications were sought from local authorities for suitable projects for inclusion in the 2018/2019 scheme, the response from local authorities was very positive with a large number of proposals received.

The current works from this on-going scheme are:

-A total of 288 schemes were completed in 2018

-150km of road were treated in 2018 under the CIS scheme

-The overall cost of the works was €12.2m approximately, with a community contribution of   17% approx.

In view of the strength of the response I have decided seek applications from local authorities for the continuation of the Community Involvement Scheme for a further 2-year period – 2020/2021, so as to allow a greater number of projects to go ahead and to give local authorities more flexibility in delivering this programme. 

In the normal course of a Council’s road works programme, repairs to minor county roads would only be considered towards the end of the programme after more heavily trafficked routes had been dealt with and the purpose of the Community Involvement Scheme is to facilitate local participation in the repair of roads so as to allow improvements to be made sooner than might otherwise be the case.  

The Community Involvement Programme will allow a wide range of works to be undertaken on regional and local roads.   The proposed works include general works such as providing hard standing material at field entrances or removal of banks at the edge of a road, drainage works, road surface strengthening and repair works, the repair and construction of footways, the improvement of sight lines, the easing of bends and the provision of passing bays.

The Minister concluded:

Feedback from the local authorities has been very positive to this scheme.  It allows the local authorities and local communities to tackle necessary works on less trafficked roads, including Local Tertiary cul-de-sac roads in need of repair.  Coillte has also availed of the scheme and several forestry access roads have been or are being improved.  The Community Involvement Scheme allows local authorities to fund a more diverse range of local roads, maintaining local connectivity and contributing to local community enterprise.