Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 698: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there is any type of heritage funding or grant aid assistance available for the protection and preservation of buildings such as the listed building on Valentia Island, County Kerry, which is of national importance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17740/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the scope to provide grants for the protection of our built heritage is constrained by the significant reduction in the public finances. However, my Department will continue to provide funding for the protection, conservation and development of our built heritage, insofar as resources allow.

In 2012, my Department is providing €500,000 through a "Structures at Risk Fund" to assist with works to safeguard structures, both in private and civic ownership, protected under the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2011. This funding is focused primarily on those protected structures most at risk. The fund will be administered by local authorities and my Department has recently notified each City and County authority of the details of the scheme for 2012.

The buildings to which the Deputy refers are not yet included on the Record of Protected Structures for County Kerry although I understand that the planning authority intends adding them to the Record. In light of same, these buildings are not currently eligible for consideration under the Fund.

The Heritage Council, which is funded by my Department, also administers a number of conservation grants schemes which provide assistance for conservation of the built heritage. I understand that the buildings in question received some funding from Council in 2007 for works to the roof. However, as I understand matters, the closing dates for applications under these schemes for 2012 have now passed.