Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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141. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to reintroduce a grant scheme for the restoration of listed buildings throughout the country; the options that are available to those who own listed buildings and who cannot afford to restore same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33983/13]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Part IV of the Planning and Development Acts 2000, as amended, provides for the protection of architectural heritage. The Act gives primary responsibility to planning authorities to identify and protect the architectural heritage by including them on the Record of Protected Structures. Inclusion on the Record of Protected Structures places a duty of care on the owners and occupiers of protected structures and also gives planning authorities powers to deal with development proposals affecting them and to seek to safeguard their future. Recognising this duty of care placed on owners of protected structures, a number of State financial supports provide for the conservation and restoration of heritage structures in both private and public ownership. As the Deputy can appreciate however, the scope for funding for the conservation of the built heritage is currently constrained by the significant reduction in the public finances.

I recently announced grant funding to thirty-four local authorities under the Department’s Structures at Risk Fund 2013 to enable conservation works to forty-five heritage structures in both private and public ownership deemed to be at significant risk of deterioration and which are protected under the Planning and Development Acts 2000, as amended. The Structures at Risk Fund is set up to assist with urgent works to safeguard such structures, in private and civic ownership, and in certain cases works to structures within Architectural Conservation Areas. Typical works funded under the fund include roof repairs, structural consolidation and measures to halt water ingress. This scheme, which is administered by the local authorities, has been in operation since 2011 and has encouraged regeneration and reuse of heritage properties and helped to secure the preservation of protected structures which may otherwise have been lost. Since 2011 over 70 structures have been funded under this scheme. Funding for this scheme is fully allocated for 2013. However, subject to on-going budgetary constraints, I hope to fund this scheme again in 2014.

I understand that the Heritage Council, which my Department funds, also administers a number of heritage grants schemes. It is a matter for the Heritage Council to allocate its funding appropriately given competing priorities within the heritage sector. In addition, I understand that in certain circumstances some local authorities may offer funding. As with the Heritage Council, it is a matter for the local authorities in question to allocate their funding appropriately. Many local authorities employ Architectural Conservation Officers, who can offer specific advice to owners of protected structures. It should also be noted that certain conservation projects may be eligible for funding under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme Ireland 2007-2013 which supports the conservation and upgrading of rural heritage.