Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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466. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number and location of heritage projects currently in hand or proposed, with particular reference to potentially at risk buildings or sites throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43264/24]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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472. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the total number and location of heritage/listed buildings throughout the country currently not included in a protection/restoration programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43271/24]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 466 and 472 together.

With regard to the total number and location of heritage/listed buildings, a building acquires so-called ‘listed’ status through its inclusion by a local authority on the Record of Protected Structures (RPS). Each local authority maintains a separate RPS and at present these are not consolidated into a single national file. My Department is currently undertaking work with the County and City Management Association (CCMA) to examine the possibility of consolidating all local authority RPS data into a single database in order to provide an accurate national view. Pending completion of this work, my Department's best estimate is that there are approximately 50,000 structures on local authorities' RPS files at present.

In relation to the number of relevant buildings which are 'currently not included in a protection / restoration programme', I would note that all Protected Structures are eligible for grant support for conservation works. This year my Department is funding 885 projects through the Historic Structures Fund, the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, and the Community Monuments Fund, in addition to 8 towns funded through the Historic Towns Initiative, which is run by the Heritage Council.

It should be noted that these are the government schemes dedicated specifically to architectural conservation or archaeological protection works. Other schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, and the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant will fund substantial restoration work through their wider programme of grants.