Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

225. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when she will announce local funding under the structures at risk fund and the built heritage jobs leverage scheme for 2015, considering the great success of these schemes over the past few years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7440/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On 9 February last, I announced an allocation of €624,000 for the Structures at Risk Fund 2015, to enable conservation works to heritage structures, in both private and public ownership, which are deemed to be at significant risk of deterioration and are protected under the Planning and Development Acts 2000, as amended. This Fund, which will be administered through the local authorities, encourages the regeneration and reuse of heritage properties and helps to secure the preservation of protected structures, which might otherwise be lost. Since 2011, over 100 structures have been safeguarded for the future as a result of the Structures at Risk Fund.

In 2014 my Department was provided with a special allocation of €5m from Capital Stimulus funding for a new Built Heritage Jobs Leverage Scheme to assist with works to safeguard structures, in private and civic ownership, protected under the Planning and Development Acts 2000, as amended. A total of €15m was invested in 540 historic structures across the country and information provided by the local authorities indicates that 175 jobs were created as a result of this scheme. The operation of a similar scheme in the future would be contingent on dedicated funding being made available to my Department.