Seanad debates

Friday, 23 April 2021

Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters

Heritage Sites

10:30 am

Photo of Garret AhearnGarret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for being here to take this matter. My question relates to heritage and the portfolio of the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan. I am particularly delighted that the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, is here because he totally understands the building about which I wish to speak, given his family connections with the O'Briens in Ardfinnan. I would be shocked if he has not visited the premises in question.Knocklofty House, just outside Grange on the Ardfinnan to Clonmel road, is an 18th-century house, which was home to Lord and Lady Donoughmore. It is listed as a protected structure under the Tipperary county development plan, as well as being included in the national inventory of architectural heritage for its artistic, historical, social and architectural significance. The building is a former hotel and hosted numerous weddings within the locality of Grange and Ardfinnan. It is where I learned to swim and anyone my age would remember that Martin Daly used to do swimming classes every Saturday morning. My mother brought me and my brothers there to go swimming, and I would be surprised if the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, has not been there himself in the summer months.

Pictures emerged two weeks ago of the current state of the building, and to say it is in a shocking state is not an exaggeration in any way. When anyone drives into Knocklofty House at the moment, they will see that the surface is like the moon with the number of potholes. If they look to the left, what used to be beautiful fields are now taken over by rubbish. There has been mistreatment of animals and, in particular, horses in recent years. To be fair, the county council has tried its best to control this but it has not been totally successful.

The pictures that surfaced have angered locals to the extent that they have set up a Facebook page with almost 1,300 members. They are deeply upset by the state of the building and they have asked the council to get involved. In fairness, local Councillors, McGrath, English and Murphy, with many others, have contacted the county council and they have acted. They went out and did an internal and external assessment of the building, and a report will be prepared as a result. I thank them for that.

In these times, county councils are limited in what they can do due to funding constraints. The work that needs to be done to preserve this historic building, which is an obligation on the State, needs more than just the support of the county council. I ask the Minister of State, as someone who knows this area quite well and who has an allegiance to the region, to ask the Minister of State, Deputy Malcolm Noonan, to intervene at departmental level to support the restoration and preservation of this building. This has happened with other buildings across the country, such as Glengarriff Castle, which is being preserved and restored at the moment.

Knocklofty House is a beautiful site, on the banks of the River Suir, with beautiful lands. Any local person I speak to at the moment says they are extremely upset. This used to be a beautiful place to go for a walk, and people do not want to lose that character or lose the importance of it. The Department has the historic structures fund and the built heritage investment scheme. I call on the Department to use some of that money towards this project to preserve and maintain it.

Photo of Colm BrophyColm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Before I begin the official reply, I want to make a personal comment. As the Senator said, I know this area well as my mother's family parish is Ardfinnan. Knocklofty House is an absolute treasure. It was so disappointing to hear the description the Senator gave because, from my early earliest years as a child, going down on holidays every summer and looking out at Knocklofty House, and then attending functions later on, it was an absolute treasure for the area. It is stunningly beautiful in its location on the banks of the river, and it is so sad to hear this. I will convey to the Minister of State, Deputy Malcolm Noonan, the Senator's comments and my own thoughts on this and on the need for action.

The functions of the Minister of State with responsibility for heritage and electoral reform with regard to the protection of architectural heritage are set out in the Planning and Development Acts, as are the responsibilities of local authorities and owners. The Act gives primary responsibility to local authorities to identify and protect the architectural heritage by including particular structures on the record of protected structures, RPS.The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, NIAH, was established by the Department with responsibility for heritage in 1999 to identify, record, and evaluate our post-1700 architectural heritage. The Minister of State with responsibility for heritage and electoral reform, Deputy Noonan, can make recommendations to planning authorities for structures to be included on the RPS arising from the NIAH surveys.

Knocklofty House, County Tipperary, was recorded by the NIAH in 2005 and was recommended by the then Minister to Tipperary County Council for inclusion on the RPS. I am informed that Knocklofty House was added. The outbuildings, gate lodge and gates are also included on the RPS. Inclusion on Tipperary's RPS places a duty of care on the owners and also gives the local authority powers to seek to safeguard its future. I am advised that the county council have opened an enforcement file on Knocklofty House. It has confirmed that an initial site inspection was undertaken and more thorough inspections will be required internally and externally to determine the appropriate course of action to ensure this building is protected. The county council further advises that it will need to gain access to the building. It understands that the legal ownership of the property is being questioned currently and is being dealt with through the courts.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage provides financial support to owners for the protection of heritage buildings and historic structures through the historic structures fund, HSF, and the built heritage investment scheme, BHIS. The Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, recently announced €3 million in funding under the BHIS and details of projects to be awarded under the HSF will be announced shortly. While it is understood that the scale of investment needed for the structure mentioned may mean that the level of grant funding available under these schemes would not, on its own, be sufficient, it may provide some support to safeguard it from falling into further disrepair.

The Minister of State fully understands and appreciates the value of our built heritage, including at local level, and has asked officials in his Department to remain in contact with Tipperary County Council on this matter.

Photo of Garret AhearnGarret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response and the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, for keeping in contact with Tipperary County Council. I am not sure how long we have left to preserve Knocklofty House. The building is in dire condition. Lead and metal are being robbed from the place and assessments and reports will show that not much time is left. The State has an obligation to support historic structures such as Knocklofty House. The longer we wait to do that, the more it will cost to preserve. If we have an obligation in this regard, we should act now. I ask that the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, visit the site and meet some of the locals who have spoken on the matter.

If the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, is in Ardfinnan during the summer, if we are allowed to travel outside our countries, I would love to bring him around Knocklofty House. Like me, he has great memories of the place. He would be shocked to see how it has been abandoned and let go. I would appreciate if he could convey my request that the Minister of State with responsibility for heritage visit the area and meet officials of Tipperary County Council to discuss the future of the building.

Photo of Colm BrophyColm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I will certainly ask the Minister of State to visit. If we are allowed travel, the Senator can rest assured that I will most definitely be in Ardfinnan this summer. I will call him and we can do that together. As I said, Knocklofty House is an amazing building and heritage site. It is vital to so many people in the area that a preservation order be placed on it to ensure it does not deteriorate further. I am willing to come down and take a look. I look forward to that visit when inter-county travel is allowed.