Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

240. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the degree to which her Department continues to offer assistance towards the preservation of heritage buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32689/15]

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

The scope for funding for the conservation of the built heritage is currently constrained by the significant reduction in the public finances. Nonetheless, the competing priorities regarding the preservation and enhancement of the national heritage are kept under on-going review having regard to the resources available to my Department.

In 2015, under the Structures at Risk Fund, an allocation of €624,000 was available,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 is 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 fund was open to two applications per local authority of which one application may be in respect of a privately-owned building. The amount of funding available per project was subject to a minimum level of €15,000 and a maximum level of €60,000. Since 2011, in excess of 130 structures have been safeguarded for the future as a result of the Structures at Risk Fund.

In 2014 my Department was provided with a once-off allocation of €5m 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 Act 2000, as amended. A total of €15 million was invested in 540 historic structures across the country and information provided by the local authorities show that 175 jobs were created as a result of this scheme. The future operation of the scheme is subject to funding being made available to my Department.

The Historic Towns Initiative (HTI) which was a joint undertaking by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, in partnership with the Heritage Council and Fáilte Ireland to promote the heritage–led regeneration of Ireland’s historic towns operated as a pilot project in 2013 and concluded in 2014. The operation of a similar scheme in the future is again contingent on dedicated funding being made available to my Department.