Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 December 2004
62 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he intends allowing departmental funding for the employment of heritage officers by local authorities to cease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32795/04]
View answerIn 1998, the Heritage Council developed a pilot scheme for the placement of heritage officers, dedicated to the conservation and promotion of heritage, within local authorities. This pilot scheme involved a partnership agreement with local authorities for the appointment of heritage officers. The council co-funds the appointments with local authorities, on a declining scale, over a five year period. The pilot scheme has since been mainstreamed in many local authorities and, to date, 24 heritage officers have been employed.
The heritage officer scheme has operated well and has been successful in raising heritage awareness at a local level, consistent with my Department's overall heritage objectives. I expect that local authorities will favourably consider the continuation of heritage officer appointments in the context of allocating resources and within the overall framework of Government policy on public sector numbers.
