Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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543. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 657 of 8 September 2022, the update that his Department received from Tipperary County Council regarding the maintenance and works done at Knocklofty House, Clonmel, County Tipperary; if he will outline his Department’s interest and involvement in preserving the structure, beyond safeguarding the structure from further disrepair, and ensuring its integration into the tourism and heritage sector locally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1338/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My role with regard to the protection and management of our architectural heritage is set out in the provisions of relevant legislation, as are the roles and responsibilities of local authorities and owners.

Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, gives primary responsibility to local authorities to identify and protect the architectural heritage by including particular structures on the Record of Protected Structures (RPS) and managing their development and safeguarding accordingly.

As Minister, I can make recommendations to local authorities for buildings and structures to be included on the RPS. These recommendations arise from the surveys of my Department's National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH).

The inclusion of Knocklofty House on Tipperary County Council's RPS places a duty of care on the owners and the Council itself to prevent the endangerment of the building. My Department provides guidance and funding schemes which can help with the discharge of this duty.

Under the 2022 Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS), Tipperary Council was offered grant funding for a number of heritage projects within the county. Works at Knocklofty House were nominated by the Council and approved by my Department as one many projects to receive grant funding. However my Department was informed by Tipperary County Council late in 2022 that the Knocklofty House project would not proceed that year. For further information about this decision I would suggest contacting Tipperary County Council directly.

In May 2021, Minister of State Noonan met with local people to discuss their concerns about Knocklofty House and stressed that crucial to the future of this structure is the identification of a viable use or uses with sufficient income to ensure its survival. The Minister also outlined the financial supports for heritage structures available from my Department under the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) and the BHIS. While I am disappointed that Knocklofty House was unable to avail of the funds allocated to it by Tipperary County Council in 2022, it remains open to the owners and the Council to make an application to either the HSF or BHIS for 2023 before the deadlines later this month.