Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My role, as Minister, with regard to the protection and management of our architectural heritage, is set out in the provisions of relevant legislation, as are the roles of local authorities and the responsibilities of owners as regards heritage assets.

The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) is a State initiative to identify, record, and evaluate the post-1700 built heritage of Ireland, as an aid to its protection and conservation. The NIAH, which operates within my Department, has published surveys in respect of both Sligo and Leitrim and these have formed the basis for Ministerial recommendations to both local authorities for additions to their Record of Protected Structures. My Department has also published an introductory book to the built heritage of both counties.

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 an allocation of €3.5m for over five hundred projects across the country, which will be supported by the scheme in 2017, including over €100,000 for sixteen projects in Sligo and three projects in Leitrim. The scheme 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 an allocation of over €1.3m for 67 projects countrywide that will be supported under the Structures at Risk Fund for 2017, including nearly €70,000 for three projects in Sligo and one project in Leitrim.

Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000 gives primary responsibility to planning authorities to identify and protect the architectural heritage by including relevant structures on the Record of Protected Structures. This places a duty of care on the owners and occupiers of protected structures and also gives planning authorities powers to deal with development proposals affecting them and to seek to safeguard their future. The latest returns to my Department from the local authorities indicate 272 structures on the Record of Protected Structures in Leitrim and 699 in Sligo.

I also have a role, as Minister, in terms of being a prescribed body under the Planning and Development Regulations 2001-2015, whereby development proposals that may impact on our built heritage are referred by planning authorities to my Department so that recommendations can be made as appropriate to avoid or mitigate any such impacts.