Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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785. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount of money which has been allocated to Cavan town abbey and the schemes under which; her plans to allocate further funding to have this historical site reopen to the public; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1454/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My role, as Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, with regard to the protection and management of our architectural heritage, is set out in the provisions of relevant legislation, as are the role of local authorities and the responsibilities of owners as regards heritage assets. There are a number of ways in which my Department acts in respect of supporting possible heritage sites/buildings deemed to be at risk.

The Structures at Risk Fund seeks to encourage the regeneration and reuse of heritage properties and to help to secure the preservation of protected structures, in both private and public ownership, which might otherwise be lost. The Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) was developed to assist with the repair and conservation of structures that are protected under the Planning and Development Act 2000(as amended).

Both these schemes are administered through the local authorities. It is hoped that they will operate again for 2017, and it is expected that an announcement will be made in the coming weeks.

As Cavan Town Abbey is in the ownership of the local authority, it would be best placed to advise on any future proposals.