David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 217: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the funding the Government has made available to the Irish Heritage Trust; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34686/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Irish Heritage Trust was established in 2006 with a mandate to acquire for public access major important heritage properties where the State does not wish to acquire them directly and where there is imminent risk to their heritage value.

In 2006 my Department provided a sum of €430,998 to meet the establishment and initial running costs of the Irish Heritage Trust. In the current year a further €500,000 was provided from my Department's Vote for the day to day operational costs of the Trust as well as endowment funding of €5 million to enable the Trust to acquire its first heritage property, Fota House and Gardens.

With regard to 2008, I have allocated €520,000 towards the operational costs of the Irish Heritage Trust in addition to further endowment funding of €5 million for property acquisition during the coming year.