Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)

The elements that came into the new Department had already been severely cut between 2008 and 2011. Heritage was hit with an 83% reduction. The reduction this year means there will be less funding for the protection of the built heritage. We are doing our best to ensure that with the limited resources we have, we achieve as much as possible with those resources. We had a huge allocation just two years ago for built heritage but it has been reduced drastically. It follows that we will not be able to dedicate as much to conservation and protection of structures at risk. Unfortunately that is the reality of the financial challenges we face.

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