Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 598: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he intends to establish the Irish Heritage Trust. [35534/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I refer to the reply to Question No. 148 of 25 October 2005.

On 7 November I announced the establishment of a steering group to advise on proposals for governance of the Irish Heritage Trust so that a workable and effective trust can be established as quickly as possible. The steering group is charged with reporting back to me no later than January 2006.

The trust will operate on the basis of existing charities legislation subject to further consideration of possible amendments to taxation legislation in regard to donations of heritage properties to the trust and donations to endowment funds required for each property. Following completion of the steering group's report I will revert to Government with detailed proposals on the structure, governance, chairman and members of the Irish Heritage Trust so that the trust can be up and running during 2006.