Áine Collins (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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195. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when funding will be made available for the replacement of windows in a protected structure-listed building (details supplied). [8433/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The scope for funding for the conservation of the built heritage is currently constrained by the significant reduction in the public finances. Nonetheless, a number of State financial supports provide for the conservation and preservation of heritage structures in general.

I recently 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, protected under the Planning and Development Acts 2000, as amended, which are deemed to be at significant risk of deterioration. 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. The amount of funding available per project will be subject to a minimum level of €15,000 and a maximum level of €60,000. Works to windows to prevent water ingress and to repair significant elements of external joinery are deemed to be qualifying works under the terms of the Fund.

The Heritage Council, which my Department funds, also provides grants for the protection and preservation of the built heritage. For 2015, the Council is administering a community-based heritage grants scheme with funding of €600,000 available for projects that contribute to particular heritage themes. If relevant to the case in question, I understand that applications are now open until 20 March 2015 for the scheme. The Heritage Council’s website is .

The project referred to by the Deputy may also be eligible for reliefs or grants administered by other Government Departments, local authorities or agencies.

The statutory Architectural Heritage Protection Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2004), reissued by my Department in 2011, contains a chapter on Openings - Doors and Windows (Chapter 10), which outline the general conservation principles that apply to protected structures and to historic structures in general. In addition, as part of an Architectural Advice Series, my Department has published a series of advice books, one of which includes practical advice and guidance on the “repair” of historic windows, with another guide published in 2010 on energy efficiency in traditional buildings. Both the Planning Guidelines and the Advice Series are also available on my Department’s website at .It is advised that owners or occupiers of historic properties seek advice directly from their local authority regarding heritage conservation.