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

The conservation advice grant scheme funds two thirds of the cost of hiring an expert conservation professional, up to a maximum of €5,000 to advise on the repairs necessary to bring vacant traditional buildings back into residential use. It is expected that many grant recipients will go on to avail of the vacant property refurbishment grant to help pay for the costs of the works. The scheme targets an important and historically neglected part of our building stock in towns and rural areas - one that is really important to me in terms of the much older heritage building stock, in which I see immense potential - and helping to preserve and enhance the character and immunity of these places, while at the same time contributing to our efforts to tackle vacancy and dereliction.

Owners of traditional buildings often undertake renovation works without appropriate conservation advice and, as a result, may use inappropriate materials which damage the historic fabric of a building and impair its proper function. There are different performance and functions of these older buildings, such as breathability and all of these elements. Sometimes putting in the wrong interventions, such as PVC windows, can have a really detrimental impact on these buildings. Such poor-quality interventions could cause a loss of historic character, as well as long-term problems such as damp and mould, which may be costly to remedy. It is hoped that these outcomes can be avoided through a timely provision of excellent advice. This year, 69 grants have been paid out under the scheme, which highlights its success, to a total value of €290,000.

We hope to further develop and enhance the scheme in 2025 so that more owners can be supported to invest appropriately in these historic buildings, which can contribute much to both the value both as family homes and cherished features of our urban and rural landscapes, particularly the pattern of our historic towns and villages, much of which has been lost. I see it particularly across the west and right across the country, where we are losing many of these really beautiful buildings. They could be brought into productive use, but they have to be done in a way that is appropriate to their heritage aspects.

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