Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not disagree with the Deputy on that. Resources are critical in terms of implementing our objectives for any plan, particularly an ambitious plan like Heritage 2030.

For the Deputy's information, in his constituency in Kildare, in 2017, funding of €71,680 was given towards the built heritage investment scheme, and the figure for the structure at risk fund was €53,000. In 2018, funding for the built heritage investment scheme was €50,000, and €66,000 for the structure at risk fund. Overall, we have provided funding of €3.3 million for 431 projects throughout the country in 2018. Some of those have been completed but the majority are on site. There are sites bustling with activity across every local authority in the country where we can see specialist heritage trades and crafts being put to good use in saving and restoring our historic buildings. These two schemes have funded 920 projects since the start of 2017 across every local authority in the country, 767 under the built heritage investment scheme and 153 under the structure at risk fund.

The historic towns initiative was also rolled out nationwide for the first time in 2018. Six towns have shared in €1 million in funding via the Heritage Council.

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