Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1166. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if structures (details supplied) qualify for funding under the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45296/25]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail)
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Conservation works to properties included on a local authority's Record of Protected Structures and certain other historic structures may be eligible for funding from my Department under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme or the Historic Structures Fund.

The Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) provides grants of between €2,500 and €50,000 for a wide range of conservation works, while the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) provides grants of between €50,000 and €200,000 for similar works at a larger scale. Both schemes are funded by my Department's National Built Heritage Service and administered in the main by the local authorities.

It is advised to contact the relevant local authority for further information, and to ascertain whether the specific bridges in question are eligible for funding under these schemes.

Grant funding for structures such as these may be available outside of my Department. The Traditional Farm Grant Scheme, which is run by the Heritage Council and funded by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine, lists "farm bridges" as eligible structures. Further information in relation to this scheme is available directly from the Heritage Council (oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie).