Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Rooney for her presentation. It was very detailed in terms of what the Department does and very welcome. As a representative of Cavan-Monaghan, funds like this are crucial. I have a couple of questions leading on from Deputy Ó Cuív’s contribution.

The local authorities are the lead stakeholder in terms of any of the applications received. Could Ms Rooney give us statistics on that? Percentage wise, are local authorities the main organisation in any applications to the Department? Is there a sense that the Department’s fund is compensating for cases where local authorities cannot do the work? I refer to taking on derelict or disused buildings such as former courthouses, market houses and such venues?

This funding is very welcome. There was specific mention of the gate lodge in Castleblayney, which is fantastic, in the presentation. Mr. Paul Clifford, who is a senior official in Monaghan County Council, was before this committee last week talking about the myriad of projects that have to be done in terms of town and village renewal across counties like Cavan and Monaghan. He also alluded to the fact that the gate lodge is the more minor of all the projects that have to be taken on in towns like Castleblayney, where what was once a beautiful market house is now a shell of a building in the centre of the main street. The gate lodge is wonderful. However, as Mr. Clifford stated here last week, it will take millions of euro to do something with the market house. I am sure there is a cap in funding but could Ms Rooney give us some figures on the cap for such projects? I met officials in the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to see how we best go forward to save a building that is of historical importance in a town like Castleblayney but which is literally a shell of a building because it has been allowed to become derelict. The huge strength in terms of the community organisations will see that building brought back to its former glory. Can those organisations engage with the Department with a view to funding a project such as that?