Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 1383: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will review the current funding for architectural protection grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25106/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The scheme of architectural protection grants available to owners of protected structures is administered by local authorities and resourced by my Department. Funding for the scheme was increased from €3.9 million in 2004 to €6.85 million in 2005. This scheme is one of a number of supports for the built heritage. The conservation grants programme under the urban and village renewal scheme provides funding in 2005 of €1.033 million to support projects on buildings of architectural or heritage significance which are in the ownership of public bodies, civic trusts etc. and are open to the public.

In 2004, €735,000 was paid in thatching grants by my Department for 175 roofs, with 255 grants having being provisionally approved. It is estimated that in the region of 250 applications will be provisionally approved in 2005 with a provision of €700,000.

I am also in the process of establishing the Irish Heritage Trust which will acquire for public access major heritage properties on a case-by-case basis where the State does not wish to acquire them directly and where there is imminent risk to their heritage value through neglect or where an appropriate use cannot be brought forward through sale to a private sector investor. Funding will be provided from my Department's Vote for the running of the trust and as contributions to the endowment funds established to conserve, maintain and present the properties. It will be for the Minister for Finance to give further consideration to the proposals for tax concessions in the Indecon report, Issue of Trust-type Organisations to Manage Heritage Properties, which is published on my Department's website www.environ.ie.

Tax relief is available under section 482 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 for expenditure incurred on the repair, maintenance or restoration of an approved building or garden. Further protection is afforded through the ongoing maintenance of the State's own portfolio of historic properties. In addition, funding for architectural heritage protection is also provided directly by the Heritage Council and the council administers certain one-off grants directly on behalf of my Department. I am satisfied that, taken together these provisions afford considerable support for the safeguarding of our architectural heritage.