Written answers

Wednesday, 10 April 2019

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Built Heritage Investment Scheme

Photo of Tom NevilleTom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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215. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the level of interest in the built heritage investment scheme and historic structures fund in County Limerick. [16776/19]

Photo of Josepha MadiganJosepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides financial support for the protection of heritage buildings and historic structures through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the Historic Structures Fund (HSF), formerly the Structures at Risk Fund (SRF), which are administered by local authorities. 

On 28 March I announced funding of €4.3m for 478 projects under these schemes. Details of these projects are available on my Department's website and on local authority websites.

The Built Heritage Investment Scheme is designed to leverage private capital for investment in a significant number of labour-intensive, small scale conservation projects across the country and to support the employment of skilled and experienced conservation professionals, craftspeople and tradespersons in the repair of the historic built environment. The scheme helps with the repair and conservation of structures that are protected under the Planning and Development Acts or within Architectural Conservation Areas. It is administered by local authorities. 

Under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, local authorities assess the applications before sending them to my Department for approval. My Department does not request the total number of applications received by the local authority. In 2019, 27 projects proposed by Limerick City and County Council were approved under Built Heritage Investment Scheme to the value of €118,000, an increase of 9% over 2018.

Built Heritage Investment Scheme – Limerick 2019

Name and Address of StructureGrant
Sunvale Inn, Ardpatrick€3,000 
1 Bridge Street, Abbeyfeale €3,000 
Gate Lodge, Mungret College, Mungret, Limerick €3,000 
Limerick Christian Centre, Mungret College Chapel, Mungret €4,000 
Limekiln, Loughill €3,500 
Countess Dunraven Fountain, Blackabbey, Adare €3,000
Scarteen House, Knocklong €6,000 
Cooleen House, Bruree €5,000 
Fr. Kelly's Thatched Cottage, Church View, Main Street, Adare €2,500 
Thatched House, Deelish, Ardagh €2,500 
Linfield House, Pallasgreen €4,000 
Castlegarde, Cappamore €5,000 
O'Connell's Public House, Ballyneety €6,000 
St. Mary's Cathedral, Bridge Street, Limerick €5,000 
Parnell Cottage, Moroewood, Murroe €4,000 
Carrickaroche, Galbally €2,500 
Ballymartin School, Ballymartin, Manister €4,000 
Purtill Cottage, Tuogh, Adare €2,500 
Ó Ceilleachair Bar, Main Street, Kilfinane €4,000
St. Mary's Church of Ireland, Askeaton €2,500 
St. Saviour's Dominican Priory, Glentworth Street, Limerick €2,500 
St. Paul's Heritage Centre, Glin €4,000 
Mona Lodge, Montpelier €2,850 
Kilballyowen Stableyard, Bruff €3,250 
Villiers School, North Circular Road, Limerick €3,250 
Saint Munchin's Church, Old Church Street, Limerick €3,000
Maunsell Cross, Tervoe, Clarina, Limerick €4,000 
Raheen House, Ahane €3,000
2 Pery Square, Limerick€4,000 
17 Upper Cecil Street, Limerick€2,750
Limerick Georgian Core Historic Railings and plinth walls project, Limerick €2,750 
4 O'Connell Terrace, O'Connell Avenue, Limerick €4,650 
68 O'Connell Street, Limerick €3,000 
Total €118,000 

The Historic Structures Fund is for conservation works to heritage structures, in both private and public ownership. The primary focus of the Historic Structures Fund is on conservation and enhancement of historic structures and buildings for the benefit of communities and the public. The fund is generally administered through the local authorities who prepare a shortlist of applications and each one can send a maximum of three private and one public project forward for assessment by my Department. 

Grants under Stream One of the Historic Structures Fund are for amounts of between €15,000 and €50,000. Under Stream Two a small number of larger grants, up to €200,000, was also available for historic structures in private and public ownership. 

Limerick City and County Council indicated they had received 13 applications under the Historic Structures Fund in 2019, of which 4 were put forward to the Department for consideration. A further application was made directly to my Department. Following assessment, two projects were approved in County Limerick as set out below.

Name and Address of StructureGrant 
Barry's Cottage, Church View, Adare €28,000 
Castletown Conyers (Upper Connello) €15,000 
Total €43,000 

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