Written answers

Thursday, 21 January 2021

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Heritage Sites

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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148. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the extent to which heritage buildings in disrepair or in danger of falling into disrepair can be restored for appropriate use including residential, commercial or community; the extent to which such action could benefit areas in urban and rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3507/21]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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149. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of heritage sites throughout Ireland deemed to be at risk at present; his plans to address the issue on an ongoing basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3508/21]

Photo of Malcolm NoonanMalcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 149 together.

My role with regard to the protection and management of our archaeological and architectural heritage is set out in the provisions of relevant legislation, including the Planning Acts and the National Monuments Acts, as are the roles of local authorities and the responsibilities of owners.

As Minister, I am the owner or guardian under the National Monuments Acts of approximately 1,000 national monuments located at approximately 750 sites. The Acts allow me to make a preservation order where I consider a national monument to be at risk.

Responsibility for management and maintenance of historical buildings and sites in State ownership and management of related visitor facilities, rests with the Office of Public Works (OPW) which also maintains a significant ongoing programme of conservation works. My Department will allocate funding to the OPW for the maintenance of certain historic buildings and sites over the course of the year as works begin to progress again.

With regard to the safeguarding of protected structures, Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000 gives primary responsibility to local authorities to identify and protect architectural heritage by including particular structures on their respective Records of Protected Structures (RPS). Inclusion on the RPS places a duty of care on the owners and occupiers of protected structures and also gives planning authorities powers to deal with any development proposals affecting them.

My Department provides financial support, however, for the protection of heritage buildings and historic structures through two 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). Last year some 450 heritage projects across every county in the country were allocated funding from a combined sum of over €4.3m under these schemes and an extra €1m in funding was secured for built heritage projects under the July Jobs Stimulus Package 2020, which aimed to offset some of the effects of Covid-19.

I recently launched the BHIS and HSF for 2021, with a combined allocation of €6m, an increase of nearly 40%. Full details are available on my Department’s website and on the website of each local authority.

My Department also announced a call for projects in September 2020 under the Community Monuments Fund (CMF) for investment in our archaeological heritage, which is being funded under the July Jobs Stimulus Package. The CMF is prioritised for local authorities, private owners and custodians, and community groups for the care, maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites and the provision of any required measures to ensure safe access during the Covid-19 pandemic. Total funding available for the scheme in 2020 was €900,000 and 69 projects nationally were supported by the fund. I hope shortly to announce a continuance of the scheme for this year.

As the Deputy will be aware, preparation is well advanced in my Department on Heritage Ireland 2030, Ireland’s new national heritage plan. It will be a coherent, comprehensive and inspiring framework of values, principles, strategic priorities and actions to guide and inform the heritage sector over the next decade. Heritage Ireland 2030 will be published early this year and will address priority issues for heritage, including those identified in the Programme for Government.

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