Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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348. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will support the application for funding under the community monument fund for Togher Castle, Dunmanway, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28540/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Community Monuments Fund is a new initiative introduced as part of the July Jobs Stimulus Package. It will invest significant new capital in our valuable archaeological heritage for the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites.

The Community Monuments Fund will:

- enable conservation works to be carried out on monuments which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support;

- encourage access to monuments and improve their presentation;

- build resilience in our monuments to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change.

I am delighted at the welcome and response there has been from local authorities to the new scheme. Working to tight deadlines, authorities from all around the country have submitted a wide range of highly meritorious projects to my Department for support from the €0.9m available for the Community Monuments Fund in 2020. I can confirm that Togher Castle in Dunmanway is the subject of one of a number of applications from Cork County Council.

My Department is currently assessing the applications received and, mindful of the need to get projects under way as quickly as possible, I expect the results to be conveyed to local authorities very shortly.