Vol. 525 No. 5
106 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the plans she has to set up a national trust which would advise on the stately homes that should be acquired and or maintained by the State in order that there be a coherent policy for maintaining and renovating buildings of historic and aesthetic value. [25636/00]
I have no plans to set up a national trust as suggested by the Deputy. The State already has a sizeable portfolio of more than 700 national monuments and historic properties which are in the care of Dúchas, the heritage service of my Department. The resources required to conserve and manage such properties are already considerable and continue to increase. While it is neither feasible nor desirable for the State to control all heritage properties, I am obviously conscious of the need to support the protection of the architectural heritage not in State care.
The national heritage plan, which will be published shortly, will outline the future approach to the protection of heritage properties in private ownership. This will include the use of the Planning and Development Acts, the completion of surveys such as the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, and increased levels of training in skills and craft areas which are crucial to the protection of heritage in private ownership. Of course, owners of heritage properties may receive assistance under the conservation grants scheme announced last year by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, and also under the provisions of the Finance Act in respect of maintenance works carried out to heritage properties which are open to the public.
