Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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192. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department has given assistance to communities or groups in the past to restore derelict mill sites to running order; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26081/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Financial support is provided by my Department through a number of structured schemes for the conservation and protection of heritage buildings, including mills.

The Built Heritage Investment Scheme is a scheme for the repair and conservation of structures on the local authority Record of Protected Structures. I recently announced over five hundred projects across the country that will be supported by the scheme in 2017, which will create employment in the conservation and construction industries, while helping to regenerate urban and rural areas.

The Structures at Risk Fund enables conservation works to heritage structures which are deemed to be at significant risk of deterioration. Structures must be on the local authority Record of Protected Structures. The fund, administered through the local authorities, seeks to encourage the regeneration and reuse of heritage properties and to help to secure the preservation of protected structures which might otherwise be lost. I recently announced 67 projects countrywide that will be supported under the Structures at Risk Fund for 2017.

Support under these schemes has been provided for a number of mill projects each year for the past number of years. Details of successful projects under the schemes are available on my Department’s website at www.dahrrga.gov.ie.

While the closing dates for both of the above schemes have now passed for 2017, my Department will work closely with the local authorities throughout the year in order to ensure that the best possible use is made of all funds within the schemes, including by reallocating funds where necessary when projects do not proceed within agreed timeframes. The circulars setting out the terms and conditions of the schemes are available on all local authority websites, and on my Department’s website. Any enquiries should be directed to the relevant local authority.

The Heritage Council, which my Department funds, also provides grants for the protection and preservation of the built heritage. It is primarily a matter for the Heritage Council to decide how its funding should be allocated across the range of research, education and conservation programmes it supports annually, having regard to competing priorities for limited resources. Grant schemes for 2017 are advertised by the Heritage Council on its website www.heritagecouncil.ie.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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193. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for carrying out improvement works at a site (details supplied); if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the cemetery is closed to the public due to concerns of debris and subsiding wall stead; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact an application was made for heritage grant funding but was unsuccessful and that therefore no funding opportunity currently exists for repairs other than from her Department directly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26114/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As the site in question is owned and managed by the local authority the carrying out of any works to the structure would primarily be a matter for Donegal County Council itself.

In excess of 1000 national monuments at over 700 locations are in direct State care, including notable sites in County Donegal such as Donegal Castle, Doe Castle and Grianan of Aileach. Significant resources are required to properly manage and maintain these monuments and, as a consequence, I regret that my Department is not in a position to take responsibility for the maintenance of the Abbey.

Financial support is provided by my Department through a number of structured schemes for the conservation and protection of heritage buildings, including the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, the Structures at Risk Fund and other initiatives operated by the Heritage Council.

The Built Heritage Investment Scheme is a scheme for the repair and conservation of protected structures (i.e. structures on the local authority Record of Protected Structures). I recently announced over five hundred projects across the country that will be supported by the scheme in 2017 which will create employment in the conservation and construction industries, while helping to regenerate urban and rural areas.

The Structures at Risk Fund enables conservation works to heritage structures in both private and public ownership, which are protected under the Planning and Development Acts and are deemed to be at significant risk of deterioration. Structures must be on the local authority Record of Protected Structures. The fund, administered through the local authorities, seeks to encourage the regeneration and reuse of heritage properties and to help to secure the preservation of protected structures which might otherwise be lost. I recently announced 67 projects countrywide that will be supported under the Structures at Risk Fund for 2017.

While the closing dates for both of the above schemes have now passed, my Department works closely with the local authorities throughout the year in order to ensure that the best possible use is made of all funds within the schemes, including by reallocating funds where necessary when projects do not proceed within agreed timeframes. I am advised that an application was received for funding for this project under the BHIS 2017 but did not form part of the original list of projects forwarded by the local authority to the Department for approval. The project is on a reserve list and should further additional funding become available during the course of this year as a result of other projects in that local authority or elsewhere not proceeding, it will be open to the local authority to reallocate funding to this project, subject to the usual terms and conditions attaching to the scheme.

Circulars setting out the terms and conditions of these schemes are available on all local authority websites, and on my Department’s website. Any enquiries about the operation of the schemes should be directed to the relevant local authority.

The Heritage Council, which my Department funds, also provides grants for the protection and preservation of the built heritage.  It is primarily a matter for the Heritage Council to decide how its funding should be allocated across the range of research, education and conservation programmes it supports annually, having regard to competing priorities for limited resources. Grant schemes for 2017 are advertised by the Heritage Council on its website www.heritagecouncil.ie.