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Heritage Sites

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 January 2014

Wednesday, 29 January 2014

Questions (111, 112)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

111. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which he has received applications for funding for the improvement, renovation, restoration or conservation of buildings, sites or national monuments; the extent to which any such locations are likely to receive attention in the current and future years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4511/14]

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Bernard Durkan

Question:

112. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which he has received communications indicating heritage sites or buildings deemed to be at risk for whatever reason; the number of sites or locations made known to him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4512/14]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 112 together.

As the Deputy will appreciate, the scope for funding for the conservation of the built heritage is constrained by the significant reduction in the public finances. Nonetheless, I can assure the Deputy that the competing priorities regarding the preservation and enhancement of the national heritage are kept under ongoing review, having regard to the resources available to my Department. In this regard, I recently announced the introduction of the Built Heritage Jobs Leverage Scheme for the repair and conservation of structures protected under the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2012. A sum of €5 million has been made available to the scheme under the Government’s Capital Stimulus programme.

This scheme will allow owners throughout the country to apply for funding for conservation works to protected structures at risk. The scheme is being managed by city and county local authorities, each of which has been given a funding allocation based on population size and number of structures on the Record of Protected Structures in the geographical area they serve. Applications for funding are currently being made directly to the local authorities. I have requested each local authority to forward a list of eligible applications to me for approval of funding by the end of February 2014.

Finally, in relation to sites or buildings at risk, there is a number of ways in which my Department is made aware of possible risk to protected structures, sites or monuments, one of these being the receipt of applications for funding for the improvement, renovation, restoration, conservation, preservation or otherwise making safe of same. In addition, my Department often receives information relating to potential risk to protected structures, sites and monuments from local authorities, the Heritage Council, heritage-based NGOs and members of the public. However, a single set of comprehensive statistics is not available in respect of the number and location of endangered heritage sites or buildings throughout the country.

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