Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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572. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he plans to offer additional support to preserve thatched roofs, given the additional costs associated with keeping up these homes and consequentially the incentives associated with replacing a thatched roof with another material; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2201/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department oversees a number of schemes which assist owners of thatched buildings.

A dedicated Thatching Grant is available for thatched buildings in use as homes. Applicants can avail of up to €3,810 or two thirds of the approved cost (whichever is less) towards necessary roof repair or renewal. A higher grant (up to €5,714) may be payable for houses on specified islands. For owners of qualifying thatch properties who are also Medical Card holders the maximum grant available is €6,350, or up to 80% of the approved cost (€8,252 for Islands).

Further support is available for historic thatched buildings from the National Built Heritage Service under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the Historic Structures Fund. These schemes are administered by the local authorities and funded by my Department.

In 2023, Government introduced additional ring-fenced funding of €500,000 through the Historic Thatched Buildings stream of the BHIS, effectively doubling the dedicated funding available for thatched buildings. This scheme offers grants of up to €20,000 for thatching or other conservation work for the upkeep of historic thatched properties.

In addition, my Department offers thatch owners fire-safety advice visits free of charge, and has published extensive guidance on managing fire risk in thatched buildings. Reducing the incidence of fire in thatched buildings is essential in order to protect owners and occupiers, reduce the loss of historic buildings, and bring down insurers' losses and associated premiums. I am pleased to say that the number of fires in thatched buildings has come down from an average of 14 per year in the period 2017 to 2022, to 6 in 2023, and 5 in 2024. I hope and expect to see these improvements reflected in the insurance premiums offered to owners of thatched buildings.