Vol. 486 No. 3
55 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the plans, if any, there are to apply the urban rural renewal scheme to listed buildings so that the owners have an incentive to have them refurbished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2386/98]
Arising out of the commitment in the Government's programme, An Action Programme for the Millennium, and the report of the interdepartmental working group, the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands and I will bring a comprehensive package of proposals to Government shortly to address the protection of architectural heritage. Details of the proposals will be announced when the Government has made its decision on them.
The urban renewal scheme is confined to urban areas while in rural areas many fine houses, including listed houses, are going to rack and ruin. If there were a rural renewal scheme many fine cut stone buildings would be renovated and refurbished. At present many of them are in a state of decay. Does the Minister agree to the need for such a scheme? In many cases the owners can do nothing with such buildings because they are listed. They would benefit greatly from a rural renewal scheme.
The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot be specific about the proposals we intend to bring forward, but they will apply nationally and not to urban renewal areas specifically. The proposals and the legislation will address the protection of architectural heritage generally and will not be confined to urban and village renewal. There will be separate legislation on planning and development which we hope to present this year.
Is the Minister satisfied with the criteria for listing buildings, whereby a building must be 300 years old or included in the county development plan? Will he consider altering the criteria?
We intend to bring forward a package of measures with regard to listed buildings which are of architectural merit. I cannot give details of the proposals but we will seek the maximum protection for listed buildings and our architectural heritage. If the Deputy has views he wishes to contribute we will be delighted to take them on board. The 300 year rule refers to some of the Heritage Council grants but our proposals will have more widespread application.
Will the proposals extend to the interiors of important buildings? There is limited, if any, protection at present for interior plasterwork or other features which are often of great significance.
I confirm that it is our intention to take the whole building into account.
In bringing forward his proposals will the Minister have regard to the proportionality of conditions put on the renovation of listed buildings? An owner has two options — to leave a building as it is to moulder away or to carry out refurbishment. If an owner decides to refurbish, it is often used by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands as an occasion to impose strict conditions on the person trying to save the building, to the point that the enterprise becomes uneconomic. Will the Minister take this into account and frame his proposals so that the best does not become the enemy of the good?
The Deputy's point is well made. The Department is currently examining the building regulations covering listed buildings so that the stringent conditions attaching to fire regulations and so on can be adapted to suit the needs of houses with architectural merit. I accept the Deputy's point that by the time negotiations on some planning applications have been completed it is often not worth the person's while continuing with works. I hope the Bill addresses this matter. From a constitutional point of view, I do not believe we can impose obligations on people without offering them some incentive or balancing monetary compensation. I will keep both those matters in mind when dealing with the Bill.
