Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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276. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will ensure funding is made available to Dublin City Council in order to renovate the Iveagh building in the Liberties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7281/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that the Question refers to the Iveagh Markets on Francis Street in Dublin 8, and not to the Iveagh Trust Buildings on New Bride Street.

My functions as Minister with regard to the protection of our architectural heritage are set out in the Planning and Development Acts, as are the responsibilities of local authorities and owners.

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

As Minister, I can make recommendations to planning authorities for buildings and structures to be included on the RPS. In general I make these recommendations on foot of the surveys carried out by my Department’s National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. The final decision as to inclusion of a building or structure on the RPS remains a reserved function of the relevant planning authority, in this case Dublin City Council.

The Iveagh Markets building was recorded by the NIAH in November 2013 and rated as being of Regional Importance. As such, it was recommended to the local authority for inclusion on its RPS. I am informed that Dublin City Council have included the Iveagh Markets on their RPS (Ref. no. 2936).

Inclusion on the Record of Protected Structures obliges owners and occupiers to prevent endangerment of the building, and requires the local authority, where it has formed the view that the building is or will become endangered, to serve notice on the owner or occupier to carry out remedial works.

Where the owner or occupier fails to carry out the works specified by the planning authority, the Act gives the planning authority a range of discretionary powers to safeguard the structure in question, including powers to enter a property, carry out works required to prevent endangerment, and recover the associated costs from the owner or occupier.

In December 2022 Minister of State Noonan met with Dublin City Council, to discuss the protection of the Iveagh Markets. Minister Noonan indicated that my Department would provide appropriate support, subject to resources, to assist and encourage Dublin City Council's efforts to protect this important building. The matter is now with Dublin City Council.