Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1273. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to provide funding to ensure the continued preservation of historic sites associated with a person (details supplied) such sites should include the penal chapel where the person was baptised, the old abbey where their parents are buried and the birth place at Carhan, Cahersiveen, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46697/25]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department funds a range of grant schemes for the repair and conservation of protected structures and monuments, which may be of relevance to assist in the conservation of these historic sites.

The National Built Heritage Service (NBHS) provides financial support for the protection of eligible heritage buildings and historic structures through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the Historic Structures Fund (HSF), which are both, in the main, administered by the local authorities.

The Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) provides grants of between €2,500 and €50,000 for a wide range of conservation works. The window for applications under the BHIS is currently open, and it is advised to contact the Architectural Conservation Officer within Kerry County Council for further details. The Historic Structures Fund (HSF) provides grants of between €50,000 and €200,000 for similar works at a larger scale. The application window for the HSF is expected to open later this year.

The Community Monuments Fund (CMF) is administered through the Local Authorities by the National Monuments Service (NMS) of my Department. The CMF supports a range of initiatives to conserve, maintain, protect and promote local monuments and historic sites, specifically archaeological monuments. The application window for the CMF is expected to open later this year.

All schemes referred to above are administered in the main by the local authorities. It is advised to contact Kerry County Council for further details.

The Historic Towns Initiative (HTI), which is administered by the Heritage Council with support from the NBHS, can also provide grant funding for conservation of protected structures where they are located within historic towns.

Further information in relation to this scheme is available directly from the Heritage Council. In this regard, arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for the Heritage Council is oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie.