I propose to circulate in the Official Report a tabular list of the national monuments in State ownership and guardianship in County Kilkenny, which are managed by Dúchas, The Heritage Service of my Department. The national monuments district office in Kilkenny city is responsible for operations in all or part of the eight south-eastern counties, including County Kilkenny. All national monuments sites in the region are inspected periodically by the Department's architectural, archaeological and district staff. Ongoing maintenance and conservation works are carried out either as programmed, or required subject to the availability of appropriate resources.
In addition to routine maintenance and conservation programmes, three major capital projects are being undertaken in County Kilkenny at present, under the EU Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-99. An allocation of £2,000,000 has been made under this programme to Kilkenny Castle, with an amount of £1,200,000 being provided for works in 1998. Overall allocations of £300,000 and £200,000 have been made respectively for Dunmore Caves and Gowran Church. The 1998 provisions are £150,000 for Dunmore and £75,000 for Gowran.
At this juncture it is not possible to say what further funding will be applied to these or other projects. Any issue of future funding, either through EU Structural Funds or from Exchequer provisions, must be considered in the context of the competing demands for conservation works at individual monuments sites, the merit of such works and the availability of funding and staffing resources.
County Kilkenny National Monuments in State Ownership/Guardian
