James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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1313. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the grants available to aid rethatching; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4138/20]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides financial support for the protection of heritage buildings and historic structures through 2 grant schemes which are, in the main, administered by the Local Authorities. These are the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the Historic Structures Fund (HSF), both of which accept applications for repairs to thatched buildings.

While the primary responsibility to care for and maintain a protected structure rests with the owner, these schemes invest essential capital in our valuable built heritage and help the owners and custodians of historic structures in every local authority area across the country to safeguard their properties into the future for the benefit of communities.

The Heritage Council, which my Department funds, also provides grants for the protection and preservation of our built heritage, which may include grants for thatching. The announcement of any proposed grant schemes can be found on their website at .

While my Department does not run a funding scheme specifically for thatched structures, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government administers a grant scheme for the renewal or repair of thatched roofs of owner-occupied houses. Full details are available from their website at .