Almost €1.3 million has been allocated to upgrade rural roads and laneways across Cork, as part of the government’s Local Improvement Scheme.

Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys announced on Monday that she is doubling the funding available this year for the upgrade of rural laneways and non-public roads to €22million.

The announcement will see counties receive a significant increase in their allocation under the Local Improvement Scheme for 2022, with Cork now allocated €1,298,240 in funding.

The near €1.3m will be used to upgrade rural laneways and non-public roads which provide access to homes, farms and outdoor amenities.

The funding will go towards road and laneway projects already identified by Cork’s Local Authorities, residents and landowners as ones where works could start immediately and be completed this year.

In the last five years over €100 million has been provided under the Local Improvement Scheme, improving over 3,000 roads and laneways nationwide and benefitting over 13,000 rural homes.

“The Local Improvement Scheme is about making life a little bit easier for those rural families who live on a laneway or non-public road. The scheme provides substantial grant aid for the upgrade of these routes and assists homeowners with the costs. In many cases where there are multiple homes on a lane, neighbours will work together to draw down funding under the scheme,” said Minister Humphries.

The funding provided by the Department of Rural and Community Development will be complemented by a local financial contribution from landowners/householders. There is a ceiling of €1,200 on the amount that any individual householder or landowner will be asked to contribute towards the cost.

Fianna Fáil TD for Cork East James O’Connor welcomed the funding.

“I want to see young people building on their family land, living in the community they grew up in and seeing their children attend the local school and playing for the local GAA club – this is what our rural communities are built upon,” he said.

Fine Gael Cork North Central TD Colm Burke also welcomed the news.

“This extremely positive announcement will see our laneways and non-public roads in Cork receive improved access to homes, farms and outdoor amenities,” he said, adding that he will “continue to fight for rural homeowners in Cork and make the case for further increases in funding”.