Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 111: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if aid will be granted for the preservation of 16 Moore Street, Dublin which was the last headquarters of the 1916 Rising leaders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36632/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I refer to the replies to Question No. 413 of 12 October 2005 and Question No. 637 of 25 October 2005. Statutory protection of the architectural heritage is primarily a matter for the planning authorities to whom my Department provides advice in the exercise of their functions in that regard under the Planning and Development Act 2000.

On 25 August 2005, I recommended to Dublin City Council in accordance with section 53 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, that 16 Moore Street should be added to its record of protected structures, RPS, because of its historical and architectural interest. I understand that the city council has received an assessment of the architectural and historic importance of the building and will shortly bring a proposal to the council to add the building to the RPS. I also understand that the city council has recently been able to arrange for the owners to carry out essential repairs to the roof of the premises to ensure the essential fabric of the structure is protected while appropriate decisions are taken.

I am not aware of any application for funding under any of the schemes available. As a protected structure on the RPS, the owners of 16 Moore Street would be eligible to apply to Dublin City Council for a grant under the scheme of architectural protection grants which is administered by local authorities and resourced by my Department. The standard amount of grant is 50% of the approved cost of works, up to a maximum of €13,000. A local authority may in exceptional circumstances determine an amount greater than the standard amount up to a maximum of €25,000. Funding for the scheme was increased from €3.9 million in 2004 to €6.85 million in 2005.

Funding for architectural heritage protection is also provided directly by the Heritage Council under its buildings at risk programme and the council also administers certain once-off grants directly on my behalf. In addition, tax relief is available under 482 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 for expenditure incurred on the repair, maintenance or restoration of an approved building or garden where certain requirements regarding public access are met.

The National Development Plan 2000-2006 provides for a scheme of EU co-financed grants for the conservation of the architectural heritage. This scheme provides support for local authorities, civic trusts, and other not for profit bodies to upgrade buildings of significant architectural heritage merit and which are in public ownership or open to the public generally. This grant scheme is available under the regional operational programme 2000-2006 and is administered by my Department. In accordance with the conditions of the scheme the closing date for the 2006 scheme for the east region was 23 October 2005. Maximum funding available under the scheme is generally some €30,000. All applications for funding under the scheme are assessed by an independent advisory panel.