Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My Department is considering the funding available for the protection and conservation of the built heritage in 2016 in the context of its overall allocation and I will publish details of funding schemes for 2016 as soon as these are finalised. Funding for the protection of built heritage will continue to be provided by my Department via a number of schemes which will be either directly administered or delivered through local authorities and agencies such as the Heritage Council.

As the Deputy can appreciate, the scope for funding for the conservation of the built heritage is constrained by the significant reduction in the public finances. Nonetheless, I keep the competing priorities regarding the preservation and enhancement of the national heritage under ongoing review having regard to the resources available to my Department. In this regard, my Department, in consultation with the Heritage Council, will be undertaking an expenditure review of the Heritage Council in early 2016 with a view to identifying any further improvements that might be achieved in the delivery of heritage services.

My Department's allocation to the Heritage Council in 2016 will be subject to the normal budgetary processes and final confirmation in the Revised Estimates. It is primarily a matter for the Heritage Council to decide how its funding should be allocated across the range of research, education and conservation programmes it supports in 2016 and future years having regard to competing priorities for limited resources.

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