Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 February 2015
664. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of historic, heritage and protected sites and buildings deemed to be at risk, at present, for whatever reason; the action proposed to address such issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6086/15]
View answerIn relation to heritage buildings or sites deemed to be at risk, 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. 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 their repair, conservation, preservation or safeguarding.
In that regard, funding for the protection of heritage sites and buildings will continue to be provided by my Department in 2015 via a number of schemes, which will be either directly administered or delivered through local authorities or through the Heritage Council. This week I announced an allocation of €624,000 for the Structures at Risk Fund 2015, to enable conservation works to heritage structures, in both private and public ownership, deemed to be at significant risk of deterioration and which are protected under the Planning and Development Acts 2000 – 2012.
In addition, my Department often receives information relating to existing or potential risks to protected structures, sites and monuments from local authorities, the Heritage Council, heritage-based NGOs and members of the public.
Part IV of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2012 provides for the protection of the architectural heritage. The Act gives primary responsibility to planning authorities to identify and protect the architectural heritage by including relevant structures on the Record of Protected Structures. Inclusion on the Record of Protected Structures places a duty of care on the owners and occupiers of protected structures and also gives planning authorities powers to deal with development proposals affecting them and to seek to safeguard their future.
Ireland, like all EU Member States, is bound by the requirements of the Habitats Directive. This Directive aims to ensure the protection of habitats and species which have been selected for conservation within Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). The Habitats Directive has been transposed into national law under the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011.
