Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

There is no doubt that the Iveagh Markets are important architecturally but also socially for the community around the Liberties. It is an impressive building in its wider context on the street but also as a heritage building. There has been a great deal of concern expressed about it of late and down the years.

I will outline a couple of points. My functions as Minister of State with regard to the protection of our architectural heritage are set out in the Planning and Development Acts, as are the responsibilities of local authorities and owners. Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, gives responsibility to planning authorities to identify and protect the architectural heritage by including particular structures on the record of protected structures, RPS, and overseeing development and safeguarding of the structures accordingly.

With regard to procedures for identifying architectural heritage, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, NIAH, was established by the Architectural Heritage (National Inventory) and Historic Monuments (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1999. Its purpose is to identify, record and evaluate the post-1700 architectural heritage of Ireland as an aid to its protection. As Minister of State, I can make recommendations to planning authorities for buildings and structures to be included on the RPS. In general, I make these recommendations on foot of the surveys carried out by the NIAH. However the final decision as to the inclusion of a building or structure on the RPS remains a reserved function of the relevant planning authority's elected members.

The Iveagh Markets building was recorded by the NIAH in November 2013 and rated as being of regional importance. As such, it was recommended to the local authority for inclusion on its RPS. I am informed that Dublin City Council has included the Iveagh Markets on its RPS, reference No. 2936. Inclusion on the RPS obliges owners and occupiers to prevent endangerment of the building and requires the local authority, where it has formed the view that the building is or will become endangered, to serve notice on the owner or occupier to carry out remedial works. Where the owner or occupier fails to carry out the works specified by the planning authority, the Act gives the planning authority a range of discretionary powers to safeguard the structure in question, including powers to enter a property, carry out works required to prevent endangerment and recover the associated costs from the owner or occupier.

As the Deputy will be aware, there is currently a dispute over the title to the Iveagh Markets between three separate parties. The matter has been before the High Court since 2021 and I understand that mediation was due to resume on 28 November. In these circumstances, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the matter of ownership. Officials in my Department remain available to advise the Dublin City Council on any future efforts to restore the building.

I draw the Deputy's attention to the financial support provided by my Department for the protection of heritage buildings and historic structures through the historic structures fund, HSF, and the built heritage investment scheme, BHIS, which are administered by local authorities. I recently announced funding of €9 million for both of these schemes in 2023. In this instance, the scale of investment needed, as the Deputy said, is such that additional funding would be required to supplement these grants.

I fully understand and appreciate the value of our built heritage at a local level. I am eager to see the appropriate action taken in this case as soon as possible. In the past few days, I have asked officials in my Department to make contact with Dublin City Council on this matter. It is important in the short term to secure the building and prevent any further water ingress or damage to it. We are making efforts now to see if we can progress matters as a matter of urgency.

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